IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir summoned senior officers for private meetings Sunday to announce command actions following the October 7 failure, marking a decisive shift toward individual accountability. The officers held command roles with operational responsibility the morning of the massacre.

Officers summoned included Military Intelligence Directorate head Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder, who led the Operations Branch at IDF General Staff, and former Southern Command chief Yaron Finkelman, who commanded the sector during the massacre and led the Operations Division months earlier. Operations Directorate Chief Maj. Gen. Oded Basiuk, who held that post the morning of the massacre, was also called in. Meetings will extend to lower ranks beyond those with the chief of staff.

Also summoned were Maj. Gen. (res.) Aharon Haliva, who served in his last position as head of the Military Intelligence Directorate when the war broke out and retired from his position, and retiring Gaza Division Commander Avi Rosenfeld, Israeli Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar, Israeli Navy Commander David Salama, and Brig. Gen. (Res.) Yossi Sariel (former Unit 8200 commander). Additional officers were also summoned, with major generals and brigadier generals meeting with the chief of staff and additional officers going to the deputy chief of staff.

Among those not summoned are Maj. Gen. Rasan Alian and then-Air Force Chief Operations Officer Omer Tishler.

Five investigations were flagged – those addressing the Operations Branch's performance under current Military Intelligence Directorate head Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder, the systemic-strategic level (the conception), the pre-attack night investigation that fell short of established standards, the Israeli Navy probe, and IDF operational planning.

The report notes that beyond the General Staff as a whole, which fundamentally misjudged Hamas intentions despite labeling it a "terror army" (and failed to produce an adequate military response), other bodies contributing significantly over years to the catastrophic failure include the Operations Directorate, Military Intelligence Directorate, Southern Command, and Gaza Division, which couldn't defend the sector against the Strip's threat.

These bodies' failures are extensive, but central ones involve threat assessment, surprise attack readiness, identifying Hamas operational developments, defense failures for southern communities, and matching actions to field results – which surpassed, as stated, the reference scenarios the military constructed over years.

The Israeli Air Force and Navy also contributed to Israeli failure, with main shortcomings found in creating defensive coverage in national airspace and protecting Israeli shores at war's start. The report also describes chaos in reporting to higher echelons and gathering precise intelligence during the attack across various bodies.

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Israel Hayom has learned that Azerbaijan – an ally of Israel that considered joining the force several weeks ago – conveyed in recent days the message that it will not agree to endanger the lives of its soldiers in Gaza. In Baku, as in other countries, officials are currently discussing participation in the ISF as part of reconstruction processes and maintaining calm, but not at the stage currently required of disarming Hamas and demilitarizing the Strip.

During Thursday's cabinet session, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu disclosed to ministers a fundamental agreement exists between him and President Donald Trump's representatives: if no alternative actor emerges to eliminate Hamas, and if the organization refuses voluntary disarmament, Israel assumes the mission. Both Netanyahu and IDF representatives at the Kiryat Gat international headquarters hear explicit American commitments to Gaza demilitarization, as Trump's plan stipulates.

"Hamas growing stronger"

During Thursday's Diplomatic-Security Cabinet session, IDF and Shin Bet representatives briefed ministers that Hamas has not only failed to surrender weapons as pledged, but actively exploits the period for renewed armament and force building. The Shin Bet representative stated, "Hamas is exploiting the ceasefire to strengthen its power to prepare against us, in case we enter to operate in the red side of Gaza, and also to appoint officials in the organization."

The intelligence assessment stressed the organization exploits dual-use materials entering Gaza through international supply channels to rearm. The terrorists additionally gather IDF ordnance fragments, converting them for their purposes, including explosive device production. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu noted in this context, "every day the Americans search for who will demilitarize Gaza, they (Hamas) grow stronger."

Netanyahu added, "it's clear from all contacts that if there's no external force, we're demilitarizing." Netanyahu also disclosed he demanded Americans postpone Gaza rehabilitation until demilitarization implementation. "I told the Americans that they must ensure demilitarization on the ground of Hamas, before any rehabilitation," he stated.

According to him, "The Americans agree that there won't be rehabilitation in the green side (held by the IDF) as long as there's no rehabilitation in the red side (held by Hamas)." It should be noted that according to sources close to the White House, this principle is accepted by Jared Kushner and he currently doesn't expect Gaza rehabilitation to begin before the military threat posed by Hamas is removed.

Israel Hayom has learned that Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir detailed at the previous cabinet meeting, last Thursday ten days ago, from which points in the Gaza Strip the IDF must not withdraw under any circumstances. According to the chief of staff, even if the unexpected occurs and Hamas lays down its weapons, the IDF must show presence in the area. Zamir's position is also that reconstruction of Gaza should not be agreed to in any part of the Strip without demilitarization being carried out.

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Netanyahu was joined by Defense Minister Israel Katz, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, Shin Bet Director David Zini, and National Security Advisor Gil Reich.

Israel has been holding on to parts of southern Syria ever since the regime of Bashar Assad collapsed in late 2024. The move, which involved crossing beyond the 1974 separation of forces agreement (Agreement on Disengagement between Israel and Syria) well into southern Syria, was meant to create a buffer that would prevent radical elements such as al-Qaida and ISIS from using the chaos in the country as cover for launching attacks on Israel, as well as preventing the establishment of an Iranian foothold in the vacuum left by the fleeing regime forces. Israel controls the peak of the Hermon as part of this new military presence, as well as several Druze villages.

Video: PM Netanyahu in Syria / Credit: GPO

Several months ago, Israel Hayom received unprecedented access to the Syrian Hermon sector, captured following the rebels' victory in Syria and the fall of the Assad regime. This marked first media tour of this strategically vital foothold, which has been seared in Israelis' collective memory as a crucial post since the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

The Syrian Hermon contains dozens of former Syrian positions. When then-IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and then-Northern Command Chief Uri Gordin visited the highest post – dubbed H1 by Syria and "The Peak" by the IDF – they were forced to exit immediately due to the overwhelming stench.

These hastily abandoned Syrian military positions yielded discarded uniforms, officer insignia, and substantial weaponry: explosives, mines, RPG launchers, grenades, and personal weapons. After collecting these materials, the IDF undertook extensive cleaning operations. Some positions contained apparent graves for soldiers who succumbed to disease or cold.

"On a clear day you see Damascus," one of the soldiers told Israel Hayom during the visit.

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa (also known as Abu Mohammad al-Julani) conducted a historic visit to Washington in November, while Syria's UN Ambassador Ibrahim Olabi addressed security negotiations with Israel and claimed the agreement "could be published at any moment."

Olabi noted negotiations continue, and their nature remains primarily security-focused, based on the agreement signed after the Yom Kippur War. "The focus of the talks is mainly on border checkpoints, the number of forces on each side, and similar matters," the ambassador was quoted as saying by the Syrian news site Al-Watan.

"The discussions address several issues and concerns of both sides. If Israel has security concerns, they can be addressed. If other issues are not security-related, they require a different approach," the ambassador said, apparently referring to the Druze issue in the Druze Mountain region, who were attacked by the Damascus regime.

The ambassador described Syrian President al-Sharaa's visit to Washington as a "historic opportunity" and stated that his country aims to establish "a space of peace, security, and stability on its southern border."

However, al-Sharaa has recently stressed that no peace would take place unless Israel withdraws from the territory it had taken during the Six-Day War, meaning that a return to the Assad-era lines established after the 1973 war were not sufficient.

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Kushner told an Israeli official about his work against the backdrop of significant challenges in the existing framework around Hamas disarmament and which nation would risk deploying its troops in direct military combat with Hamas terrorists. No country has yet indicated willingness to take on this role.

Egypt has trained a 5,000-strong Gazan force with American and Israeli approval to fight Hamas, though their willingness to engage in combat remains uncertain. Furthermore, as we reported Tuesday, Kushner explained that western Gaza will not undergo rehabilitation until the Strip is demilitarized and Hamas surrenders its weapons. Kushner recognizes achieving these objectives presents formidable challenges, which explains his parallel work on alternatives.

Concurrently, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir told the recent Diplomatic-Security Cabinet meeting that the military is developing a contingency plan if American efforts fail. Zamir said the alternative approach will be briefed to ministers shortly.

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Some will say this is precisely Netanyahu's aim – to leave the IDF holding all responsibility. To hope time passes and the public grows weary or forgets, and the reality-mandated national investigation becomes unnecessary by itself because responsibility was already taken. But yesterday's military investigation of investigations demonstrates exactly why a state commission of inquiry remains reality-mandated.

The flaws discovered are extensive, but they fall short without a necessary examination of interfaces within the security establishment (between the IDF, Shin Bet and police) and between it and the political level – without which carrying out the mandated national correction preventing a similar catastrophe in the future won't be possible.

What emerged yesterday isn't an investigation in the straightforward sense. The team led by Maj. Gen. (ret.) Sami Turgeman didn't restart the process from zero, but examined what already happened across 25 main investigations. His work served two purposes – ensuring findings and conclusions are precise so the IDF has a calibrated compass forward, and stamping them with a seal that strengthens public confidence in the military as an institution that probes itself and extracts lessons.

Turgeman executed two significant moves distinguishing his work. First, a detailed examination of each investigation, while marking its professionalism – green for successful and credible; orange for needing improvements; and red for flawed investigations that can and should be redone. Second, horizontal integration across all investigations, previously examined separately, and crafting conclusions enabling for the first time examining the breakdown not just by viewing each unit alone but from an elevated perspective of the entire IDF.

The findings Turgeman unveiled yesterday to the General Staff (some triggering intense debate among the generals) aren't startling. Their essence is obvious from the outcome itself – breakdown in deterrence, breakdown in warning, breakdown in defense. One by one, every pillar of Israel's security doctrine crumbled. Even the fourth pillar, the offensive one, faltered for extended hours because the IDF wasn't ready to mount a response to a surprise assault of this scale.

One could think that a single element, in a single location, at a single instant, might have sufficed to avert the tragedy, but that's a flawed conclusion – the root of the breakdown Turgeman highlights runs exceedingly deep and wide, and paradigmatic. It cuts across branches, corps, and commands, and naturally, commanders. Even had October 7 been averted on October 7, it would have occurred at another moment, because the system didn't just doze off at a particular point during guard duty – it was engulfed in profound and years-long dormancy.

Now the IDF faces lesson-learning. Some will contend this suffices – if more intelligence sources exist in Gaza (and other theaters), more tanks line the barriers, more commanders staff headquarters – the next tragedy gets prevented. Accepting only that would likewise be a mistaken conclusion. The IDF doesn't exist in an isolated universe. Its operations extend government policy. Without it being complete – in investigation, in systemic learning, in embedding lessons – no insurance policy for national security exists.

The government, as noted, avoids this. IDF Chief Eyal Zamir handed it double ammunition yesterday – first when he assumed (rightfully) responsibility for the IDF's breakdowns; second when he stated establishing "an external, systemic, multidisciplinary, integrative commission of inquiry" is necessary. His avoidance of the phrase "state commission of inquiry" – which he backed previously – shows Zamir picks his confrontations with the political level, but might leave the State of Israel, and the IDF inside it, without adequate answers to the more crucial battle.

Zamir, more than anyone, recognizes that in numerous ways Israel absorbed the lesson, but in other vital ways it hasn't. The decision-making mechanism today functions worse than it operated on October 7's eve, the Diplomatic-Security Cabinet operates partially and the National Security Council remains present-absent. The IDF (and Shin Bet) stand as the sole entities genuinely working to extract lessons – those accountable stepped down and departed, the investigations got executed, and the conclusions will get embedded.

For this cause, the IDF chief would benefit by avoiding dismissing the Military Intelligence Directorate head, Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder. The shortcomings in his performance as Operations Division head that Saturday were certainly substantial, but the elapsed time, his achievement in his current role and the General Staff's fragility demand stability. This might irritate certain politicians, but they're the last ones who can speak a word about it.

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According to the Israel Hayom report, the directive was issued by IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir following a security assessment that certain Chinese-made cars may pose a risk of data leaks or surveillance. The order initially applies to officers in classified roles or those with access to sensitive information, and is expected to extend to all officers by the first quarter of 2026.

The report said about 700 vehicles are affected, most of them seven-seat models made by China's Chery company, which had been provided to officers with large families. Israeli intelligence officials cited concerns that modern vehicles include cameras, microphones, sensors, and wireless connectivity that could potentially transmit data to external servers. A former senior officer told Israel Hayom that "every 'smart' car is essentially a computer on wheels," capable of collecting information near sensitive installations.

The Chinese Embassy called the reports "groundless speculation and lies," insisting that vehicles exported from China to Israel comply fully with Israeli law and do not pose any security threat."China's new energy vehicles, with their outstanding innovation and high product quality, have won the favor of consumers around the world," the embassy said. "All vehicles exported from China to Israel, which comply with the Israeli laws and regulations on data security and transmission, pose no threat to Israel's national security."

The embassy added that the Chinese government "has never asked, and will never ask, any company to engage in any form of espionage."

It said that the data functions of Chinese electric vehicles are no different from those of other brands. "The so-called 'data collection' is nothing more than a normal and essential function of smart driving systems. In this regard, there is no fundamental difference between Chinese vehicles and those from other countries."

According to the statement, any data gathered by Chinese electric vehicles is stored in a sealed unit inside the car. "If you drive a Chinese brand EV, your data will be gathered and sealed in a 'black box' in the car, but not transferred, and will only be used when there is an accident and the driver's actions and the car's path need to be checked," the embassy said.

It also noted that while some electric vehicles use cloud services, "all relevant servers are located in Europe" and are managed according to local laws. The statement emphasized that Chinese manufacturers exporting to Israel had taken additional precautions. "Given Israel's high sensitivity to security issues, Chinese automakers have specifically removed the connectivity functions from the models exported to Israel, fundamentally eliminating any possibility of data transmission through a vehicle's intelligent systems."

The embassy concluded by calling for fair treatment of Chinese businesses: "The global journey of China's electric vehicles is an open and upright path of innovation. This path of cooperation brings cleaner air, more advanced technologies, better choice, more comfortable experiences, and a fairer market for all. We hope the Israeli side will view and treat Chinese brands in a fair and objective manner, and provide Chinese companies with a fair, equitable, and non-discriminatory business environment."

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The statement clarified that a criminal investigation has been launched regarding the video's publication, with potential involvement of Military Advocate General personnel being probed. Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir approved the chief military prosecutor's leave request, "pending clarification of additional details on the matter," the statement said.

In July 2024, the Military Police initiated an investigation into suspected abuse of a Palestinian terrorist at the Sde Teiman facility. Throughout the investigation, a video recording the soldiers' purported conduct leaked to media outlets, displaying an assault on the terrorist by five reserve soldiers at the Sde Teiman detention center. The accused soldiers rejected the suspicions, asserting they acted to control a terrorist who assaulted them and that the force they employed was proportionate. Right-wing sources argued the leak harms Israel as a moral nation.

Defense Minister Israel Katz responded to the decision, saying, "Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir informed me that following a criminal investigation proceeding in the Sde Teiman recording leak matter, and examination of Military Prosecution personnel involvement in the matter, the decision was made that the chief military prosecutor would take leave. I welcome and back the decision – we're talking about a serious matter that generated a blood libel against IDF soldiers domestically and internationally, and it must be examined and investigated completely."

The attorney general's office also announced an investigation would commence, with the High Court of Justice updated on the development. "Following information obtained recently, the attorney general decided to instruct the opening of a criminal investigation concerning offenses related to publishing the video from the Sde Teiman matter. At this stage, as the investigation continues, no additional details can be disclosed."

MK Tzvi Succot reacted on X to the IDF spokesperson's announcement regarding the investigation's launch. "Amid Israel's most difficult war in history, the chief military prosecutor opted to accuse IDF fighters as though they participated in raping terrorists. The video leaked from investigation materials in the chief military prosecutor's custody, along with the groundless charges the chief military prosecutor circulated about the fighters, transformed into insane anti-Israel propaganda globally during wartime – straight to jail!"

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Yariv Levin also commented, noting the timing with legislation passage dividing the attorney general's position. "It's no coincidence that right after passing the bills concerning legal counsel to the government in preliminary Knesset reading, we learned about the decision to authorize launching a criminal investigation in the Sde Teiman matter, and about the chief military prosecutor's leave. Appointing the Shin Bet chief and the Public Ombudsman for Judges, along with promoting legal legislation and the resolute struggle to reveal truth and apply equal enforcement, are generating historic transformation before our eyes. I'll persist fearlessly until justice is entirely achieved."

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir stated, "The investigation concerning Sde Teiman and the chief military prosecutor's 'leave' departure represents a dramatic shift in protecting democracy from criminal behavior disguised as legal action. Everyone implicated in the matter should be held accountable, including the Attorney General herself, who initially attempted to sabotage the investigation with a deceptive High Court of Justice statement."

At Honenu, the organization defending several soldiers charged in the Sde Teiman matter, officials praised the investigation's opening regarding the video leak. The organization now weighs stopping the mediation procedure in the case and demanding indictment withdrawal against Unit 100 fighters. Attorneys Adi Keidar, Nati Rom, and Moshe Polsky described this as an essential measure, arguing the video leak aimed to tarnish the fighters' standing and harmed the IDF's and state's reputation.

Simultaneously, Honenu's lawsuit against Channel 12 News, reporter Guy Peleg, and the IDF for 2 million shekels ($564,000) in defamation damages regarding the video's publication is currently under consideration. The attorneys additionally insisted that all personnel connected to the matter's investigation be removed from their roles.

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Maj. Gen. Dan Noiman, commander of the military colleges, will coordinate the investigations in a secondary appointment as head of the Training Division, the military's training branch. This body was once a General Staff unit of the IDF, later becoming the Torah, Assessment and Training Brigade in the Operations Division. Now this body is being reestablished under Maj. Gen. Noiman, who will coordinate investigations of the numerous battles from the past two years, working with the Torah, Assessment and Training Brigade and the Operations Division.

The military is currently building the roadmap for conducting battle investigations, with plans to establish investigation teams. Sources involved in the details told Israel Hayom this investigation process will last at least several months, given the many battles IDF forces fought over the past two years.

The IDF plans to identify the main and primary battles, focusing primarily on those, and ultimately distributing the investigations and their conclusions across the organization to build the force according to the findings and learn from the key lessons for the future.

Since the IDF spent the past two years primarily on the fighting itself, preparations for combat and force refreshment, the battles have not been investigated in an organized and in-depth manner until now. However, immediate and clear lessons were extracted on the spot and distributed among forces to improve fighting methods in real time and protect troops.

Maj. Gen. (res.) Sami Turgeman is expected to present the findings Tuesday to the Chief of General Staff from the committee reviewing the October 7 investigations and the preceding period. The committee team comprised senior reserve officers, including Maj. Gen. (res.) Eli Sharvit, former Navy commander, Maj. Gen. (res.) Amikam Norkin, former Air Force commander, Lt. Col. (res.) Talia Lankri, and Brig. Gen. (res.) Yuval Bazak, who lost his son, Sgt. Guy Bazak, on October 7.

Lt. Gen. Zamir appointed Turgeman on his first day in the position to review war investigations conducted during the previous Chief of General Staff Herzi Halevi's tenure, aiming to classify investigations into three categories: sufficient investigations to be accepted, investigations requiring completions, and investigations to be opened and conducted anew.

After presenting the team's findings to the Chief of General Staff today, its conclusions will likely be presented to IDF General Staff members later this week, and subsequently to the public. It's important to note that Turgeman's team and Turgeman himself have no mandate to draw personal conclusions regarding officers – that exclusive mandate belongs to Lt. Gen. Zamir. However, the Chief of General Staff will likely consult with Turgeman regarding personal conclusions about officers.

Another committee Chief of General Staff Zamir has already announced establishing is a decorations committee. Currently, its members and head have not been appointed, and its operational mode has not been finalized, but it will be authorized to recommend to the Chief of General Staff and Minister of Defense on awarding decorations and citations – the Medal of Valor, the Medal of Courage, and the Medal of Distinguished Service. Since the state's establishment until today, only 40 courage citations have been awarded, the most recent given after the Yom Kippur War.

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Based on current assessments, the Israeli hostages are held in at least three separate locations across the Gaza Strip, and uncertainty persists over whether Hamas will gather them for a unified release or transfer them to the Red Cross at multiple sites.​

Security sources indicate Hamas has not yet transmitted to Israel the names of the deceased captives it intends to return.​ Simultaneously, Israeli security officials are tracking closely the enforcement mechanism American negotiators are presently formulating. On Friday, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner addressed the matter with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and on Saturday the subject arose during discussions between the two senior American envoys and IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir.​

Israel's goal is for the developing mechanism to mirror the framework established in Lebanon, though substantial differences between the two theaters may hinder this objective.​

Who becomes the enforcer?

First, Lebanon functions as a sovereign state, allowing Israeli grievances relayed through the Americans to reach the Lebanese government and Lebanese Armed Forces, which bear enforcement responsibility. In Gaza, however, no governing authority exists apart from Hamas, leaving unclear whether and how Israeli complaints will be addressed and enforced.​

Second, Israel successfully imposed an on-the-ground enforcement doctrine in Lebanon against every breach – targeting not merely immediate dangers but also weapons accumulation. In Gaza, Israel may lack this capability given the commitments it made in the agreement, particularly as the deployment of foreign personnel from nations including the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Turkey and others may restrict Israeli actions.​

In the interim, until tomorrow morning, Israeli Air Force operational guidelines remain exceptionally stringent, as avoiding any risk to the hostage release remains paramount throughout Israel.​

Following their release and return to Israel, the nation will transition into a phase of establishing security arrangements with Hamas. Israel's fundamental priority is Gaza demilitarization and operations against any weapons buildup, regardless of scale. An additional unresolved matter will inevitably be determining Gaza's future governance.​

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Officials in Qatar reacted with shock and a sense of betrayal, and the strike seems likely to destroy Qatar's position as a mediator in the war – eliminating the most reliable conduit for passing messages to Hamas leaders in Gaza, according to The Washington Post. Qatari sources informed the outlet that Israel and the US had promised them last month that Hamas officials would not be targeted on their territory. This assurance proved worthless. Qatar now holds the distinction of having been attacked by both Israel and Iran during the convulsive regional conflict that began on October 7, 2023, with Hamas's terrorist attack on Israel.

Qatar had feared an attack after Eyal Zamir, the Israel Defense Forces' chief of staff, warned on August 31 that "most of the remaining Hamas' leadership is abroad, and we will reach them as well." A report in The Washington Post indicates Qatar sought assurances from the Israeli intelligence agency, Mossad, and the White House that such an attack would not occur on Qatari soil. The pledges were given, and a Qatari official told the outlet that Tuesday's strike "came as a total surprise."

The Israeli strike targeting Hamas's political leadership in Qatar's capital, aimed at forcing an end to the Gaza war, appears to be a rare Israeli tactical error, according to an analysis in The Washington Post offered by David Ignatius. The assault, whose result is unclear, ruptured one of the few existing channels for halting the conflict.

The paradoxical timing of Tuesday's assault highlighted the no-exit dilemma of the Gaza war, The Washington Post reported. At the moment Israeli rockets struck, Hamas officials were gathered in a Doha villa to discuss a "final offer" peace plan from President Donald Trump, which had been presented to them on Monday by a senior Qatari official. A warning call from the White House reportedly came amid the sound of the explosions, a Qatari spokesman stated.

Israel's high-risk operation signaled that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is making an all-out blitz to force Hamas to surrender in the Gaza war, the columnist said. Netanyahu now appears so determined, and arguably desperate, to destroy Hamas that he is busting previous norms and restraints, he continued.

On Sunday, President Trump had warned that events in Gaza were coming to a head. He posted on social media that he had proposed a final deal that would include the release of all hostages and the exchange of all Palestinian prisoners. "The Israelis have accepted my Terms. It is time for Hamas to accept as well," he wrote on Truth Social. "I have warned Hamas about the consequences of not accepting. This is my last warning, there will not be another one!"

An Israeli official detailed Trump's proposal. On day one, Hamas would release all 48 hostages – 20 alive and 28 deceased. Israel would withdraw from all of Gaza and begin to release about 1,000 Palestinians. On day two, Trump would personally take charge of negotiations for a political transition and reconstruction in Gaza.

An Arab source described the chain of events. Qatar's prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, had met with Hamas representatives on Monday to share a proposal that Trump envoy Steve Witkoff delivered last week in Paris. The Hamas representatives, perhaps including some who had just arrived from Turkey, decided to meet again on Tuesday to discuss the proposal. Israel, presumably knowing the group had gathered in Doha, chose to attack.

Hamas claimed the strike did not kill Khalil al-Hayya or other senior officials, though it did kill his son, three bodyguards, and a Qatari security officer. This is an uncommon miss for the Israeli Air Force, which has struck leaders of Hamas in Gaza, the Hezbollah terrorist militia in Lebanon, and Iran with stunning accuracy.

For Qatar, the attack is a bitter outcome after aggressive attempts to help the Trump administration broker peace deals, not just in Gaza but also in the conflicts between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Qataris have also helped free American hostages in Venezuela and Russia, according to Qatari and American officials. But for many Israelis, Qatar – for all its diplomatic finesse – remains an enemy that bankrolled Hamas and hosts Al Jazeera's sometimes inflammatory Arabic commentary.

For Netanyahu and Trump, the question is what's next. Both demand a Hamas surrender. But how will they negotiate it with the Qatari channel shattered and a parallel Egyptian path probably also obstructed? By undermining diplomatic options for ending the conflict, Israel has narrowed its path forward. Its only choice now might be military reoccupation of most of Gaza – something that Israeli officials say they badly want to avoid.

Netanyahu pushes onward toward his vision of total victory in Gaza. But with Tuesday's actions, he risked obliterating one of the few tracks toward a negotiated settlement of this devastating and exhausting conflict, according to the analysis from The Washington Post.

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