An Israeli military expert, Yonah Jeremy Bob, has declared
that the Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF) implementation of localised ceasefires in
Gaza signals a collapse in the core strategy of Israel’s war against Hamas.
Mounting international condemnation, a persistent humanitarian crisis, and
unmet strategic goals underpin the perception that Israel's approach has
failed.
The Crumbling of IDF’s Strategy: What Do Israeli Experts Say?
Amidst intensifying global criticism over the humanitarian disaster in Gaza, Israeli expert Yonah Jeremy Bob, reporting for The Jerusalem Post and quoted by Firstpost, asserted that Israel’s decision to enact localised ceasefires to enable humanitarian aid “shows the strategy in the war so far has failed.” Bob was unequivocal:
“Israel's localised ceasefires put in place over the weekend show that the strategy so far in the war has failed”.
The IDF announced the localised ceasefires, applicable to
Gaza’s Al-Muwasi region, Deir al-Balah, and parts of Gaza City, presumably to
enable the delivery of critical food and medical aid. However, as reported by
The Jerusalem Post's Yonah Jeremy Bob, the practical effect is a widespread
halt of military operations in districts now inhabited by almost the entire
displaced population of Gaza.
Why Has Israel Turned to Localised Ceasefires in Gaza?
The need for these pauses stems in part from relentless
international condemnation of Israeli restrictions on food and essential
supplies, leading to acute hunger and malnutrition among Palestinians. The United
Nations has warned that one in five children in Gaza now faces severe
malnutrition, and even US President Donald Trump has broken ranks with Israel
to decry the crisis affecting the enclave’s children, reported Firstpost.
Meanwhile, Israel has tried to present these actions as
“localised and temporary,” but, as The Jerusalem Post further highlights, their
indefinite timeline (“until further notice”) and expanse suggest a reluctant
strategic withdrawal. With the IDF now effectively unable to target Hamas
fighters sheltering in these humanitarian zones, the ceasefires could persist
“for weeks or even months,” underscoring the army’s inability to achieve its
military objectives.
How Did the IDF’s Original War Strategy Deteriorate?
As Sinan Tavukcu of SETA Foundation writes, the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas — labelled the “Al-Aqsa Flood” —“fundamentally dismantled” the IDF’s core doctrine. Despite a strict blockade since 2006 and a costly high-tech border, Hamas orchestrated a surprise breach, exposing major intelligence failings and leaving Israel unable to maintain command or morale. The subsequent reliance on aggressive directives (such as the controversial “Hannibal Directive”) and mass detentions reflected the IDF’s strategic confusion. Israel’s bid for deterrence was “ineffective against Hamas,” and Tavukcu notes that public morale “disintegrated,” leading to mass protests calling for a ceasefire and Prime Minister Netanyahu’s resignation.
The protracted war resulted in exhausted missile stockpiles,
battered air and ground fleets, and a “skyrocketing economic crisis” — making
sustained warfare “unsustainable for Israel.” Tavukcu stresses that these
pressures also “marginalis[ed] Jewish diaspora communities” globally.
What Do Other Israeli Analysts and International Observers Say?
Michael Milstein, former Israeli intelligence officer and analyst, in Yedioth Ahronoth and cited by Palestine Chronicle, argued that Israel
“remains stuck between two failed options in Gaza,”
with Hamas “still dominant on the ground — conducting fighting and controlling the public space”. Major Israeli goals — dismantling Hamas and securing the release of hostages — remain unmet, and according to Milstein, Israel is “caught between a full-scale occupation of Gaza or a costly compromise that ends the war and withdraws from the Strip.” Milstein adds,
“There is no chaos, as is prevalent in Israeli discourse,”
suggesting Hamas maintains effective authority despite the
devastation.
In a further blow to Israeli strategy, The New York Times, referenced by the Lieber Institute for Law and Land Warfare, reported that senior American and Israeli officials now believe Israel
“will never be able to eradicate Hamas.”
The IDF is relegated to “Whack-a-Mole” operations, while
Hamas maintains its capacity to fire rockets and hold hostages.
Has the Humanitarian Situation Influenced Israeli Policy?
The practical driver behind the ceasefires is made clear by
both Israeli and international observers. As Firstpost, The Jerusalem Post, and
Middle East Eye report, Israeli authorities were forced to reckon with a
catastrophic collapse of basic services. The UN and aid agencies decry acute
shortages, with one in five children suffering from malnutrition. This
level of desperation, according to Yonah Jeremy Bob, forced even allies such as
President Trump to publicly criticise Israel’s approach.
Statements and Rebuttals: What Are Israeli Leaders and Military Saying?
While the IDF claims the ceasefires are necessary to allow aid and not indicative of military failure, Yonah Jeremy Bob, reporting for The Jerusalem Post and Firstpost, stressed that “the writing was on the wall” for weeks due to Israel’s inability to manage aid and execute military goals simultaneously. Furthermore, some Israeli officials told Israel’s Channel 12 that government negotiators have set a ten-day deadline for Hamas to release hostages or risk renewed combat — evidence, according to Middle East Eye, that Israel
“is at a dead end regarding the deal negotiations”.
What Next for Gaza?
The ceasefires highlight a strategic stasis. As Andrew Fox notes on X,
“the ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas have collapsed. The Israeli negotiating team has withdrawn”.
Further, Hamas, emboldened by Israel’s defensive posture, continues to negotiate hard,
“setting demands, and Israel is yielding,”
Ofer told Maariv, according to Yahoo News. The
lack of a clear replacement authority for Gaza means the cycle of humanitarian
suffering and indecision could persist.
Conclusion: A Turning Point or Continued Crisis?
Israeli expert Yonah Jeremy Bob and numerous analysts across
the Israeli and international media — including Sinan Tavukcu (SETA
Foundation), Michael Milstein (Yedioth Ahronoth/Palestine Chronicle), The New
York Times, and The Jerusalem Post — have chronicled a decisive shift: the
shift from offensive ambitions to defensive, localised humanitarian pauses
signals the collapse of Israel’s grand strategy in Gaza. With humanitarian
catastrophe mounting and strategic goals unfulfilled, Israel finds itself in a
critical moment of reckoning, uncertain whether these localised ceasefires
represent the beginning of a broader truce — or merely an admission of failure
in achieving military objectives.