Ongoing offensive creating new opportunities, bringing Israel closer to achieving its war objectives: IDF Chief

Tel Aviv [Israel], September 30 (ANI): IDF Chief of Staff Lt Gen Eyal Zamir on Tuesday stated that the military is providing Israel's leadership with flexibility in decision-making regarding the Gaza campaign.

During a tour of Gaza City with senior officers, Zamir emphasised that the ongoing offensive is creating new opportunities and bringing Israel closer to achieving its war objectives, Times of Israel reported.

Zamir, during a meeting, says that the ongoing offensive in Gaza City "leads to new opportunities and brings us closer to achieving the goals of the war."

Zamir emphasised the importance of professionalism in military action, stating that the IDF will enable the political echelon to make informed decisions regarding the conduct of the campaign.

"We must continue to excel in military action and lead with professionalism. The IDF will enable the political echelon flexibility in any decision regarding the conduct of the campaign," Zamir adds, according to remarks provided by the army.

Zamir has previously described the Gaza war as "one of the most complex the IDF has ever known," emphasising the need for adaptability and operational superiority.

This comes after a White House press conference on Monday, US President Donald Trump, alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, unveiled a US-led proposal to end the war with Hamas in Gaza. Hamas is examining the proposal and is expected to deliver a response in the coming days.

While speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Trump said Hamas had "about three or four days" to respond. He added that Arab and Muslim countries, along with Israel, had signed on to the plan, and warned that if Hamas rejected it, the outcome would be "a very sad end."

Following the Gaza peace deal announcement, Qatar's Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani said Israel's withdrawal from Gaza, as described in the plan, required "clarification and discussion," but added that ending the war was a clear clause. He said postwar governance of Gaza would be discussed with the US, as per Times of Israel.

At the United Nations, Israel's Ambassador Danny Danon warned Hamas that hostages would be returned "the easy way or the hard way."

US envoy Mike Waltz also said efforts would continue until every hostage was released. Survivors of the October 7 attack, families of hostages, and diplomats attended the memorial, where both spoke.

Furthermore, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged all parties to commit to the agreement and reiterated his call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire.

On Monday, the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Qatar and Egypt issued a joint statement welcoming Trump's "sincere efforts" and expressing confidence in his ability to "find a path to peace."

Following Trump's announcement of peace in Gaza, shares on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange hit fresh all-time highs on optimism over the US-led initiative. The benchmark TA-125 index closed 3.1% higher, while the TA-Construction index jumped 7.6% and the TA-Insurance index rose 6.5%, as per Times of Israel.

The White House said the "Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict" is a 20-point proposal accepted by Israel. Hamas has yet to issue its official response.

Palestinian Ambassador to India Abdullah Abu Shawesh welcomed US President Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan, echoing the sentiments of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

However, Abu Shawesh emphasised that the plan's success hinges on Israel's actions on the ground.

Speaking to ANI at the Kerala Media Academy, Abu Shawesh stated that while the plan sounds promising theoretically, its practical implementation will determine its effectiveness."President Abbas is welcoming this issue, but we should wait to see how the Israelis will react. Theoretically, it sounds good, but practically on the ground, with their tanks, their bombardments, we must see whether they will show real commitment to this peace plan," he said. (ANI)

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