As talks resume, Mossad Chief backs PM, Defense Minister Gallant claims 60% of Hamas fighters neutralized.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has taken a tougher stance in the latest round of talks, as reports suggest that Hamas is weakening and nearing collapse. Backing Netanyahu’s position, Mossad Chief David Barnea has echoed sentiments that the militant group is running out of ammunition and supplies. Unlike other Israeli officials, Bibi has decide to play hardball, ready to pursue Sinwar into the presume subterrannean lair.

“Prime Minister Netanyahu is resolute in his position,” stated an official from the Prime Minister’s office. “The perceived weakening of Hamas is a strategic opportunity that cannot be ignored.”

The prime minister specified four non-negotiable conditions for a deal Sunday, calling them “iron principles.” However, he toughened two of those later in the week.

Any deal, he said Thursday, “must allow Israel to resume fighting until all the goals of the war are achieved.” It must also prevent weapons from being smuggled into Gaza from Egypt, “primarily by means of Israeli control of the Philadelphi Corridor and the Rafah Crossing,” he went on, adding the references to the Philadelphi Corridor that runs along the Gaza-Egypt border, and the Rafah border crossing there, a day after Defense Minister Yoav Gallant appeared to offer some leeway regarding the Gaza-Egypt border corridor.

Netanyahu said Thursday that any deal must prevent “the return of armed terrorists, and the entry of weapons, to the north of the Strip.” And finally, he said, any deal must, “already in the first stage of the framework, maximize the number of living hostages that will be freed.” He said that if Israel stands behind these conditions, “we’ll achieve a deal that will free our hostages and also ensure that we will continue to fight until all aims are achieved. The way to free our hostages is to continue to pressure Hamas with all our strength.”

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant provided a stark assessment of Hamas’s current state. “Our intelligence indicates that up to 60% of Hamas fighters have been killed or injured,” Gallant declared during a recent press conference. “This significant attrition is a testament to the effectiveness of our operations and the resilience of our defense forces.”

Defense Minister Gallant further highlighted the operational successes against Hamas. “Our continuous efforts have disrupted their supply chains and crippled their operational capabilities,” Gallant emphasized. “We have managed to dismantle significant portions of their infrastructure, which has been a critical blow to their operations.”

Barnea, leading the Israeli intelligence agency, affirmed these reports. “Hamas is on the brink,” he stated. “They are running out of ammunition and essential supplies. This is the time to press forward, not to relent.” He firmly back Netanyahu’s red lines, contradicting the left-wing pundits in the Israeli media which pictured Bibi as undercutting interlligence officials.

Ynet said that Barnea told meeting attendees that “without the clauses that Prime Minister Netanyahu insists on, we will not be able to renew the war [after the deal], and without it, we will not win and we will not return all of the hostages. “This is what is needed for the good of the State of Israel,” he added.

Haaretz reported that Barnea told the security cabinet that insisting Israel can resume fighting in the terms of the deal would provide leverage to prevent Hamas from changing the identities of the hostages it intends to release.

The clause will also ensure that the deal doesn’t fall apart before reaching the second phase, Haaretz added.

Netanyahu’s toughened stance is seen as a direct response to these developments. “The Prime Minister believes in leveraging this moment of weakness for Hamas,” noted a close aide to Netanyahu. “He has the full support of the Mossad and the Defense Ministry in this approach.”

Mossad Chief Barnea underscored the urgency of maintaining pressure on Hamas. “We cannot afford to give them any respite,” he insisted. “The weakening of Hamas presents a rare opportunity to achieve long-term security for Israel.”

Netanyahu’s fortified position, supported by Mossad and the Defense Ministry, reflects a determined strategy amidst the perceived vulnerability of Hamas. The coming weeks will be critical in determining the trajectory of this long-standing conflict.