The Defense Minister told foreign media that the IDF could leave Philadelphi Corridor in order to release hostages for six weeks without compromising security.

Foreign journalists were told by Defense Minister Yoav Galant on Monday that Hamas no longer has a military organization in the Gaza Strip following Israel’s ongoing 11-month military campaign sparked off by the terror group’s October 7 massacre. Gallant also told troops on Tuesday that the IDF is shifting its focus away from Gaza and towards the northern front. They should be prepared for a ground assault there.

“Hamas is no longer a military organization.” Hamas is still engaged in guerrilla war and we continue to fight Hamas terrorists, and pursue Hamas leadership,” Gallant said to foreign media. He warned that time was running out to strike a temporary ceasefire with the Palestinian terror organization.

Gallant stated that the conditions were ripe to at least implement the first phase of the current proposal — a six week pause during which 30 women, children and elderly hostages will be released. He would not, however, commit to an end to the fighting as Hamas had demanded. This raised questions about whether a deal was possible.

He said that Israel should reach an agreement to bring about a six-week pause and return hostages. He said that after this period “we retain the right to operate, and achieve our objectives — including the destruction Hamas.”

Since months, the United States has worked with Egypt and Qatar as mediators to broker a ceasefire and release of hostages to end Israel’s war against Hamas. The main disagreement is the demand of the terror group for an end to war and the full withdrawal of Israel Defense Forces from Gaza.

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister, has recently raised a new point of contention, saying that Israel should remain indefinitely stationed along Gaza’s border to Egypt, in the strategically important Philadelphi Corridor.

Gallant was quoted in Hebrew media saying that Israel can withdraw from the Gaza corridor for a period of six weeks, if it wants to free hostages. This would not put Israel’s safety at risk. Both men were involved in a heated argument at a recent meeting of the cabinet, where Netanyahu was overwhelmingly supported by ministers.

Gallant was asked Monday about his relationship with Prime Minister during a meeting with foreign reporters.

He said, “As Defense Minister, I give priority to the State of Israel, its protectors, and everything else after that.”

The US-led plan calls for three phases, starting with a six-week ceasefire in which Hamas will release some of the 97 hostages (not all of whom are alive) who have been held by the terror group in Gaza since its October 7 massacre.

Israel in exchange would release dozens of Palestinian prisoners of security, withdraw troops from Palestinian populations centers, and allow Gazans who were displaced to return to the places where they originally resided. It would also facilitate the influx large amounts of humanitarian aid.

Hamas freed 105 of the 251 civilian hostages it had taken on October 7, during a truce lasting a week in late November. Four abductees had been released earlier. Eight hostages were rescued alive by the troops, and 37 bodies have also been found, including three that were mistakenly murdered by the Israeli army as they attempted to escape.

Hamas also holds two Israelis civilians who entered Gaza in 2014 and 2015. It also has the bodies of the two IDF soldiers killed in 2014.

John Kirby, White House National Security Spokesman, said that on Monday Hamas sought to change the proposal. He called it the “main barrier” to a possible deal. Hamas called Kirby’s claims “baseless”, and accused the US again of preventing an agreement by siding Israel.

Gallant questioned Hamas’s intentions, and expressed doubts about the second phase of the agreement — which includes the release and cessation of all hostage-taking and the halting of all fighting.

He reiterated that Israel is committed to achieving its “war objectives” — including bringing back all hostages and destroying Hamas’s military and governance capabilities.

It is unclear whether or not these goals will be achieved, as Hamas has repeatedly regrouped in the areas of Gaza where IDF troops are no longer present. There is also no alternative plan for a post-war government.

Gallant accused Hamas intransigence during the talks, and called for increased international pressure to be put on the terror group backed by Iran. He said, however, that after Hamas’ recent heavy losses in Gaza and Hezbollah’s recent loss in Lebanon, the opportunity exists for the first phase of a deal.

Focus on Lebanon

He believes that a ceasefire with Hamas would also reduce tensions with Hezbollah, and would allow Israelis who were displaced from their homes since October 8, to return to them in northern Israel near the Lebanese Border.

Gallant stated that “achieving an accord is also a strategy opportunity which gives us a good chance of changing the security situation in all directions.”

Gallant, however, told troops in a later drill simulating an offensive on the ground in Lebanon that Israel had shifted its focus northward and they should be prepared for a Gaza style ground operation.

He told reservists from the Oded Brigade, in northern Israel, that the center of gravity was moving north. We were nearing completion of our missions there, but this task, which is to restore security and allow residents to return to their homes, has yet to be completed.

Gallant, in reference to Israel’s offensive on the ground in Gaza, said: “These orders you are waiting for I gave in South and saw the forces in action.” He said that the same orders would “come here, and you must be ready and prepared to carry out this task.”

Gallant stated that “we are currently training all aspects of the order of battle [for a ground operation in Lebanon]”. “I have seen many situations where I stood with troops who said: ‘You’re just talking. After a week, I met them on ground.

Hezbollah started attacking Israel as soon as the Hamas massacre on October 7 ignited war. Israel and Hezbollah exchange cross-border firing daily. They have come close to war on multiple occasions.

Tens of thousands Israelis and Lebanese have been forced to flee from their homes in the vicinity of the volatile border. Twenty IDF soldiers, reservists and civilians were also killed. There were also several attacks by Syria without any injuries.

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