Israel will consider expanding its military operation in Gaza if talks continue to stall, an Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post on Monday.
"If there's no advance in the talks - there will be no choice but to expand the military operation," the source said.
The military presented alternative operational plans for Gaza to the small cabinet meeting, which ended without any conclusions, according to two Israeli sources who spoke to the Post.
According to an Israeli source, the prime minister is currently waiting for two things: the possibility that Hamas may still show flexibility in the hostage negotiations, and the upcoming meetings in Washington, where Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi are expected to hold talks with senior Trump administration officials about the war in Gaza.
The official added that he expects the security cabinet to convene this week to further discuss the situation.
MK Lapid criticizes gov't Gaza strategy
This comes shortly after Opposition Leader MK Yair Lapid criticised the government's current strategy in Gaza.
According to Lapid, “The Israeli government no longer knows how to justify why soldiers continue to die in Gaza.”
“If we do not end the war now, the hostages will not return, the IDF will continue to lose its best fighters, the humanitarian disaster will intensify, and the world will shut its doors to Israelis. This is not inevitable. There is another way,” the opposition leader said. He mentioned a plan that included a comprehensive hostage deal, in which “Israel should exit Gaza, with the IDF positioned around the perimeter and operating from there to dismantle Hamas. Gaza would be administered by a coalition of moderate Arab nations led by Egypt.”
Eliav Breuer contributed to this report.
This is a developing story.