Israeli defense officials confirmed on Sunday that opportunities to strike Hamas military operatives in the Gaza Strip were missed over the past week due to government policy, according to the Jerusalem Post. The admission follows earlier warnings from Israeli political sources of a looming confrontation with the Trump administration over the pace of operations in Gaza.
Israeli defense officials confirmed on Sunday that the IDF held back from striking Hamas operatives in the Gaza Strip over the past week due to government policy, according to a report by the Jerusalem Post. The officials said opportunities to target the terror group's military wing were missed, though they did not specify the directives involved. The confirmation marks a significant development in the emerging picture of friction between Jerusalem and Washington over the prosecution of the Gaza campaign.
Earlier on Monday at 07:35 Jerusalem, Israeli political sources told the Jerusalem Post that Israel is heading for a confrontation with the Trump administration unless an alternative is found, and insisted the recent halt in targeted killings was due to operational considerations, not a policy change. At the same time, Israel Hayom reported that Israeli officials had acknowledged for the first time that the country expects a direct confrontation with Washington. The defense officials' statement on Sunday now appears to contradict the political sources' claim, suggesting that the halt was indeed policy-driven.
As The Zioneer reported in an analysis on Mon Jun 29 at 22:51 Jerusalem, the IDF had accelerated strikes in Gaza amid intelligence on Hamas rearming, but a U.S. veto prevented a wider campaign. A background report on Tue Aug 4 at 19:36 Jerusalem further indicated that the IDF was expected to scale back operations under American and international pressure. The Sunday confirmation from defense officials provides the first on-the-record admission from within the security establishment that U.S. pressure directly shaped operational decisions.
The Jerusalem Post report, citing a single unnamed source, has not been independently corroborated. The IDF declined to comment on the record. The precise nature of the government policy and the chain of command that led to the missed opportunities remain unclear.
3 developments
- DevelopingReport: IDF to reduce Gaza strikes amid US, international pressure
- DevelopingAnalysis: IDF accelerates Gaza strikes amid intelligence on Hamas rearming, as Trump veto blocks wider campaign
- StrongIDF confirms Tuesday Gaza strikes, says no Israeli casualties
- DevelopingIDF top brass urges immediate Gaza action despite concern Trump may block
Source and signal
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