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JERUSALEM / ISTANBUL 

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid said on Thursday that the war in Gaza “has reached a dead end,” calling it a failure and urging the government to end the fighting and prioritize securing the release of hostages held by Hamas.

“What we are doing in Gaza is not working. The war has reached a stalemate,” Lapid wrote on X. “It’s time to end the war. Leadership must know when to change strategy when it no longer succeeds.”

His remarks follow the killings of seven Israeli soldiers inside an armored personnel carrier during a Hamas ambush in Khan Younis on Tuesday. The attack, carried out by Hamas’ Qassam Brigades, sparked public outrage and demands for accountability from bereaved families.

Lapid criticized the government for leaving soldiers “as targets for further attacks” and questioned the ongoing war effort, saying: “No one understands anymore what we are gaining from all this.”

He renewed his call for a deal to return Israeli hostages—estimated at around 50, with 20 believed to be alive—and proposed involving Egypt in managing Gaza post-war. “We must let Egypt manage the Strip while the Israeli army redeploys around Gaza to deter threats, stop smuggling, and choke Hamas economically,” Lapid said.

He emphasized that defeating Hamas “won’t come by draining our soldiers inside Gaza, but through strategy, organization, and smart timing.”

Lapid’s comments add to growing criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose government is accused of prolonging the war for political survival. Families of hostages and fallen soldiers, as well as parts of the Israeli opposition, have accused Netanyahu of catering to far-right factions in his cabinet.

In February, Egypt rejected a previous proposal by Lapid that Cairo administer Gaza for 15 years in exchange for debt relief.

His latest comments come as international attention shifts back to Gaza following a 12-day war between Israel and Iran and amid US President Donald Trump’s statement that a ceasefire in Gaza is now “very close.”

Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive against Gaza since October 2023, killing nearly 56,300 Palestinians, most of them women and children.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.