IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir toured Gaza on Tuesday, underscoring preparations for what officials call the dangerous “twilight days” of the war, as the country braces for a potential endgame tied to a U.S.-brokered ceasefire plan.
Zamir visited Nahal Brigade commandos in the enclave less than 12 hours after U.S. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced in Washington a framework for ending the Gaza war.
Military officials said Zamir's visit reflected the army’s heightened readiness for the period leading up to a possible withdrawal, should the deal take effect. Zamir told senior commanders that Hamas is likely to attempt a last-minute show of strength before any truce takes hold, urging officers to lead from the front and warning troops against complacency.
“The final stretch of this war is critical,” Zamir said, emphasizing constant movement on the battlefield and cautioning against remaining stationary, after the IDF recently foiled a coordinated Hamas assault on two defensive positions. He also stressed that operations in Gaza would continue as planned in the coming days.
Meanwhile, American officials are pressing Hamas to respond quickly. Trump told reporters before departing the White House that the group has “three to four days" to respond to the proposal, warning that there is "not much" room left for negotiations.
Netanyahu has endorsed the plan, which calls for the release of all Israeli hostages in exchange for 250 Palestinian prisoners and the disarmament of Hamas. The proposal envisions the destruction of all militant tunnels and infrastructure, overseen by international monitors, to ensure Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel.
Trump: Waiting for Hamas to respond
(Video: C-SPAN)
Families of hostages welcomed the joint announcement, calling it a breakthrough. “This is a historic moment,” one group said in a statement.
Hamas, however, signaled strong opposition. A source close to the group told Reuters the plan was “completely biased to Israel” and imposed “impossible conditions,” amounting to what some Hamas leaders described to Sky News Arabia as “a declaration of defeat.”
Consultations within Hamas and other Gaza-based factions are ongoing and could take days, according to AFP. Meanwhile, Qatar confirmed that Turkey would join the mediating team, with a delegation expected to meet Hamas officials Tuesday night.
Israeli commanders, for their part, have instructed forces to exercise maximum caution during ongoing operations to avoid civilian casualties that could hand Hamas a propaganda victory. Plans for upcoming strikes have been approved but will undergo strict authorization processes, officials said.