According to The Times of Israel, military officials are concerned that Israel’s ground operation in the Gaza Strip may be postponed or even halted halfway due to the release of hostages.
The newspaper reports that the military fears that further releases of Hamas hostages could lead to a delay or cessation of the ground invasion at the decision of the political leadership.
The recent release of an American mother and daughter has already resulted in a postponement of the ground operation.
According to information from the New York Times, Israeli authorities have repeatedly postponed the ground operation in the Gaza Strip due to ongoing negotiations with Hamas.
However, as reported by The Times of Israel, military officials believe that a ground offensive could compel Hamas to release the hostages.
The publication also states that the Israeli Defense Forces believe that in order to achieve the goals set by the government in the war against Hamas, “the military must begin a ground offensive in the Gaza Strip as soon as possible.”
Earlier, Hamas announced that it would release foreign hostages “when circumstances allow.”
