A group of Israeli reservist commanders and soldiers, known as the "Forum of Reservist Commanders and Fighters," released a detailed plan on Wednesday aimed at decisively defeating Hamas, arguing that the current counterterrorism raids are insufficient to force the terror group into releasing hostages or surrendering. The plan, obtained by Ynet, outlines a two-phase military operation and addresses international legal concerns.
The document, titled "The Generals' Plan," was spearheaded by retired Maj. Gen. Giora Eiland, former head of the IDF Operations Directorate, with support from dozens of senior officers, including retired Maj. Gen. Gershon HaCohen, Brig. Gen. (Res.) Guy Hazut and Brig. Gen. (Res.) Dedi Simchi. "As long as Hamas controls humanitarian aid, it cannot be defeated," said Col. (Res.) Hazi Nechama, one of the forum’s founders.
The plan calls for the northern Gaza Strip, including the city of Gaza and its surrounding neighborhoods, to be declared a closed military zone. An estimated 300,000 civilians would be given one week to evacuate via secure IDF corridors. After the evacuation period, the area would be placed under full military siege, leaving Hamas terrorists with the option to either surrender or face death. The forum emphasized that the plan complies with international law, as civilians would be given the opportunity to leave before the siege begins.
In recent days, the forum has presented the plan to members of Israel's Security Cabinet and senior government officials, urging the political leadership to instruct the military to implement the strategy swiftly.
Eiland noted that the successful hostage deal in November, which saw Hamas releasing hostages, resulted from Israel restricting aid to just two trucks per day entering Gaza. He added that one of Hamas' key demands during negotiations was to increase that number to 200 trucks daily. "There is nothing a dictator fears more than an alternative authority and an angry populace," Eiland said, suggesting that the plan could be replicated in other parts of Gaza, including Rafah.
Col. (Res.) Nechama, chairman of the forum, added, "The Generals' Plan is the only viable path to defeating Hamas and securing the release of hostages. It should have been implemented months ago. After the brutal murder of six hostages, it is imperative that the IDF and the Israeli government adopt this plan immediately." He stressed that any failure to implement it would be a dereliction of duty and would prevent Israel from achieving a decisive victory over Hamas.