Former Israeli PM and the current leader of the opposition, Yair Lapid, has said that the war on Gaza was a failure and urged the government to end the fighting and prioritise securing the release of hostages held by Hamas.
Lapid criticized the Israeli government for leaving soldiers “as targets for further attacks” and questioned the ongoing war effort, saying: “No one understands anymore what we are gaining from all this.”
“What we are doing in Gaza is not working. The war has reached a stalemate,” Lapid wrote on X. “It’s time to end the war. Leadership must know when to change strategy when it no longer succeeds.”
His remarks come as the IDF continues to face fierce armed resistance from Palestinians. Just a few days ago, an ambush by Hamas fighters in Khan Younis destroyed an IDF armored personnel carrier, leaving seven Israeli soldiers dead.
The latest ambush of IDF soldiers has sent shock waves through an already war-weary population in Israel. The attack, carried out by Hamas’ Qassam Brigades, has also sparked public outrage in Israel and demands for accountability from families of the bereaved.
The former Israeli PM renewed his call for a deal with Hamas to return Israeli hostages — which are currently estimated at around 50, with 20 believed to be alive.
He also proposed involving Egypt in managing Gaza post-war. “We must let Egypt manage the Strip while the Israeli army redeploys around Gaza to deter threats, stop smuggling, and choke Hamas economically,” Lapid said.
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Yair, a former journalist, emphasised that defeating Hamas “won’t come by draining our soldiers inside Gaza, but through strategy, organisation, and smart timing.”
Lapid’s comments add to growing criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose government is accused of prolonging the war purely for political survival. Families of hostages and fallen soldiers, as well as parts of the Israeli opposition, have accused Netanyahu of pandering to the far-right factions in his cabinet.
In February this year, Yair Lapid has already dangled a carrot to Egypt by proposing debt relief in exchange for Cairo’s agreement to administer Gaza for 15 years. This has been rejected by the Egyptian regime.
Yair’s latest comments come as international attention shifts back to Gaza following a 12-day war between Israel and Iran and amid U.S. President Donald Trump’s statement that a ceasefire in Gaza is now “very close.”
Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has continued to pursue a brutal offensive against Gaza since October 2023, killing nearly 56,300 Palestinians, the vast majority of whom are women and children.
Palestinian attacks intensify
Meanwhile, the IDF has been bracing itself for more casualties as Palestinian fighters intensify their attacks across the Gaza strip.
Hamas said on Thursday that it had fatally shot an Israeli soldier and destroyed four military vehicles in attacks in the northern Gaza Strip.
The group’s armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, said that its fighters blew up four roadside bombs east of Jabalia on June 20, destroying two Merkava tanks, an armored personnel carrier, and a D9 bulldozer.
Three days later, Hamas snipers shot dead an Israeli soldier near al-Muntar Hill, east of Gaza City’s Shujaiya neighborhood, the group added in a statement.
Still reeling from the 12 days of attacks from Iran, there has been no comment from the Israeli army on the latest claim by the Palestinian group.
Meanwhile, in their efforts to seize more land and property in the Palestinian West Bank, Jewish settlers have continued to wreak havoc.
Even Germany, a firm ally who up until now has avoided even mild criticism of Israel, has come out against Tel Aviv turning a blind eye to the excesses of the Jewish settlers in the West Bank.
“We condemn yesterday’s attack by a group of Israeli settlers on the Palestinian village of Kafr Malik in the West Bank, in which more than 100 violent settlers attacked Palestinian residents of the village, setting fire to houses and cars,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Citing the attack that killed three Palestinians and injured seven others, the German Foreign Ministry urged Tel Aviv to conduct an immediate investigation and hold those responsible accountable.
“The events in Kafr Malik demonstrate once again that Israel, as an occupying power, must do far more to protect the Palestinian population in the West Bank from attacks and prevent such incidents in the future,” it added.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the Palestinian enclave.
