Israel’s military leadership wants a cease-fire with Hamas in case a bigger war breaks out in Lebanon, security officials say.
It has also concluded that a truce would be the fastest way to free hostages.
Israel’s top generals want to start a cease-fire in Gaza, even if it means Hamas stays in power for now.
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The development is causing a rift between the military and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who opposes a truce that would let Hamas continue to exist.
Under-equipped for further fighting after Israel’s longest war in decades, the generals also think their forces need time to recuperate in case a land war breaks out against Hezbollah, the Lebanese militia that has been locked in a low-level fight with Israel since October, multiple officials said.
A truce with Hamas could also make it easier to reach a deal with Hezbollah, according to the officials, most of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive security matters.
Hezbollah has said it will continue to strike northern Israel until Israel stops fighting in the Gaza Strip.
“The military is in full support of a hostage deal and a cease-fire,” said Eyal Hulata, who served as Israel’s national security adviser until early last year, and who speaks regularly with senior military officials.
“They believe that they can always go back and engage Hamas militarily in the future,” Mr. Hulata said.
“They understand that a pause in Gaza makes de-escalation more likely in Lebanon. And they have less munitions, less spare parts, less energy than they did before — so they also think a pause in Gaza gives us more time to prepare in case a bigger war does break out with Hezbollah.”
It is unclear how directly the military leadership has expressed its views to Mr. Netanyahu in private but there have been glimpses of its frustration in public, as well as of the prime minister’s frustration with the generals.
Until recently, the military publicly maintained that it was possible to simultaneously achieve the government’s two main war goals: defeating Hamas and rescuing the hostages captured by Hamas and its allies during the Oct. 7 attack on Israel.
GLOBAL TRACKER recalled that in the early days of the war, Israel set four of its goal to be achieved namely, defeat Hamas, Rescue Captives, control Gaza and eliminate Hamas.
Now, the military high command has concluded that the two goals are mutually incompatible, several months after generals began having doubts.
But for now, a truce with Hamas could also make it easier to reach a deal with Hezbollah, according to the officials, most of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive security matters.
Hezbollah has said it will continue to strike northern Israel until Israel stops fighting in the Gaza Strip.
Known collectively as the General Staff Forum, Israel’s military leadership is formed from roughly 30 senior generals, including the military chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, the commanders of the army, air force and navy, and the head of military intelligence.
Meanwhile, a senior White House official plans to meet with French officials in Paris on Wednesday to discuss ways to defuse the escalating border fire between Israel and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, a conflict that Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said this week had caused Israel to lose sovereignty in its north.
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The trip by the official, Amos Hochstein, the special presidential coordinator for global energy and infrastructure, was confirmed by a person close to the talks, who spoke on the condition on anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomacy.
Mr. Hochstein has become President Biden’s de facto envoy in the quest to resolve the border conflict.
He will meet with Jean-Yves Le Drian, President Emmanuel Macron’s special envoy to Lebanon, and Anne-Claire Legendre, a senior adviser to Mr. Macron, according to another person close to the talks.
Reports say the trip main target is to convince Hezbollah leaders not to escalate the tension.