Delaying the planned IDF invasion of Gaza City, or agreeing to a 60-day ceasefire, would significantly inflate the IDF's death toll during the next part of the operation, Maj. Gen. (res.) Yaakov Amidror, former head of Israel’s National Security Council, said in an interview with Geula Even Saar and Nissim Mishal on 103FM on Wednesday.
He made the comments referring to a military assessment that stated that an operation in Gaza City could cost the lives about one hundred soldiers.
“If we go into Gaza now, the price is 100 killed; if we wait another 60 days, the price will be 200. Hamas will have more time to prepare itself," he said, emphasizing Israel's contingency on immediate action.
He also discussed how Israel would decide its next steps in Gaza, saying the key to understanding where Israel is headed in terms of a hostage deal or further military escalation lies in Washington.
“I have seen that negotiations are being conducted with both the Egyptians and the Qataris,” Amidror noted. “What matters greatly is the Americans’ position. If the Americans quietly tell us, ‘drop everything,’ move now on Gaza, that is one thing. Or they tell us, ‘let’s go now for a partial deal, perhaps in these 60 days we can achieve something.’”
US position on hostage deal vague, hard to plan around
Even if the Americans say publicly that they support a comprehensive deal, Amidror questioned what that would exactly entail.
“The question is when the comprehensive deal would be, is it now, or are you saying that you hope that at the end of the 60 days of a partial deal, we will move to a comprehensive deal?” he said.
Amidror continued: “You come to Hamas and say, either you disarm, or we go to a partial deal, which will guarantee that by the end, this will happen. Since we lack a great deal of information, we do not know."
"For once, there are no leaks,” he said.
He emphasized the importance of understanding the American position, saying, “You are missing an important piece of information, which is, what are the Americans saying? They are speaking ambiguously that they support a comprehensive deal, but does it go through a war in Gaza City, or does it go through a stage in the deal?”