Israeli Generals, Low on Munitions, Want a Truce in Gaza

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/02/world/middleeast/israel-military-gaza-cease-fire.html?unlocked_article_code=1.4U0.fvZA.Y4wkUNMf8SmU&smid=url-share

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  1. Submission statement: The NYT just published an article that describes what’s becoming clear the past month: the Israeli military’s high command wants a ceasefire and an end to the war in Gaza, even if that leaves Hamas in power for the time being. The article alleges that senior IDF commanders are worried about the depletion of munitions, morale, spare parts, and the pool of ready reservists in case a war breaks out in the north with Hezbollah–a terrorist organization that is quite substantially stronger than Hamas. The gap between Netanyahu and the generals has widened substantially due to the lack of a postwar strategy, which would have prevented the power vacuum created after clearing areas of Hamas’s control. As the IDF withdraws from various parts of Gaza, Hamas is unfortunately able to reassert its presence, forcing ground troops to re-engage in areas that were vacated mere weeks or months earlier— for instance, they just shot atleast 20 rockets from Khan Younis—a city that the IDF has declared victory twice in. Most significantly, and as was clear from the beginning, there is a realization that the two goals of the war, the destruction of Hamas and the release of remaining hostages, are mutually incompatible. The IDF is also lending credence to US’s belief that Hezbollah terrorist organization would stop firing rockets at North Israel if the war in Gaza concludes which would almost certainly prevent a major conflict with Hezbollah. Still, Netanyahu is unlikely to commit to an end of the war because that would collapse his fragile governing coalition with hard-right elements who want the war to continue.