Netanyahu trashes NY Times report citing anonymous officials who say Israeli military wants cease-fire in Gaza

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A British-Israeli woman has a joyful reunion with her dog, Stevie, who went missing after the terror attacks in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Rebecca Geller's dog now provides comfort to hostage family members who are grieving or missing their loved ones.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slammed a New York Times report quoting senior Israeli officials who claim some military brass want a cease-fire with Hamas.

In a video statement given in Hebrew, Netanyahu blasted the paper's report that anonymous officials affirm that military leadership wants a cease-fire and disagrees with the leader on destroying Hamas for good in Gaza.

"The war will end once Israel achieves all of its objectives, including the destruction of Hamas and the release of all of our hostages," Netanyahu said.

The Times report, published Tuesday, stated that "Israel’s top generals want to begin a cease-fire in Gaza even if it keeps Hamas in power for the time being, widening a rift between the military and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has opposed a truce that would allow Hamas to survive the war."

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slammed The New York Times this week for publishing a story alleging that senior Israeli military officials disagree with his goal of destroying Hamas. (Abir Sultan/Pool Photo via AP, File)

"A truce would be the best way of freeing the roughly 120 Israelis still held, both dead and alive, in Gaza, according to interviews with six current and former security officials," the paper noted, adding that most of these officials spoke to the paper "on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive security matters."

According to these officials, the military has shifted its thinking on the war in Gaza "as it became more clear that Mr. Netanyahu was refusing to articulate or commit to a postwar plan."

The outlet described this shift, stating, "Until recently, the military publicly maintained that it was possible to simultaneously achieve the government’s two main war goals: defeating Hamas and rescuing the hostages captured by Hamas and its allies during the Oct. 7 attack on Israel. Now, the military high command has concluded that the two goals are mutually incompatible, several months after generals began having doubts."

According to the anonymous officials, military leaders are afraid of a "forever war."

In his statement shared with Fox News on Tuesday, Netanyahu reiterated the claims in the piece and refuted them.

"Anonymous sources briefed The New York Times that Israel will be prepared to end the war before all of its objectives are achieved," he said, replying, "I do not know who these anonymous sources are, but I am here to make it unequivocally clear: This will not happen."

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IDF forces are seen operating in Rafah, a city in the Gaza Strip. (IDF Spokesman's Office)

The Israeli leader stressed that he and his military leadership will complete the mission to eradicate Hamas and free the remaining hostages.

"The war will end once Israel achieves all of its objectives, including the destruction of Hamas and the release of all of our hostages," he said, adding, "The Government directed the IDF to achieve these war objectives and the IDF has all the means to achieve them."

He then slammed the Times’ reporting once more, stating, "We will not capitulate to the winds of defeatism, neither in The New York Times nor anywhere else. We are inspired by the spirit of victory."

Israeli Defense Force spokesman Daniel Hagari appeared to dispute the prime minister's stated goals for the war in an interview last month, stating, "The idea that we can destroy Hamas or make Hamas disappear is misleading to the public. What we can do is grow something different, something to replace it. The politicians will decide."

However, Netanyahu's office swiftly disputed the statement, putting out its own which read, "The security cabinet headed by Prime Minister Netanyahu defined the destruction of Hamas’ military and governmental capabilities as one of the goals of the war. The IDF is of course committed to this."

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The Times told Fox News Digital it stood by its reporting and referred the outlet to an IDF post on X responding to the piece: "The IDF is determined to continue fighting to achieve war goals to destroy Hamas’ military and governmental abilities, the return of the kidnapped and the return of residents in the north and south to their homes with security."