Israeli military chief could leave if Hamas talks continues to stall: Reports

JERUSALEM/ISTANBUL

Israel’s military Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir is considering resigning if stalled negotiations with the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, fail to resume, media reports said Friday.

The Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported that Zamir reached a critical crossroads in his relationship with political leaders and resignation may be his only option if the deadlock continues.

The dispute has gone beyond routine institutional friction, it said, with some Cabinet ministers allegedly making derogatory remarks about the army during Cabinet meetings.

Channel 12 television said Zamir is “fed up” with the political–military rift and has asked the government to take clear decisions on the continuation of the Gaza war.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has avoided committing to firm policies, said the report, placing the entire burden of the situation in Gaza on the military.

The rift centers on the fate of Israeli captives in Gaza and the continuation of military operations without a clear political roadmap.

Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, Israel has pursued a brutal offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, killing more than 60,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children. The relentless bombardment has destroyed the enclave and led to food shortages.