IDF chief says military will give leaders ‘flexibility’ to advance hostage deal amid new Gaza offensive

By Emanuel Fabian

You will receive email alerts from this author. Manage alert preferences on your profile page

You will no longer receive email alerts from this author. Manage alert preferences on your profile page

18 May 2025, 7:02 pm

Edit

Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir (left) and Southern Command chief Maj. Gen. Yaniv Asor, in the northern Gaza Strip on May 18, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, during a visit to Gaza today, says the military will give Israel’s political leadership “flexibility” to advance a hostage-ceasefire deal with Hamas, as it begins a new offensive in the Strip.

“We have launched a ground operation as part of Operation ‘Gideon’s Chariots.’ The directive is clear: defeat the enemy and destroy its infrastructure wherever we operate. The IDF will allow flexibility for the political echelon to advance any hostage deal,” Zamir says in remarks published by the IDF.

“A hostage deal. This is not a halt; it is an achievement. We are working toward it,” he adds.