Ex-Israeli general says Gaza starvation campaign isolated 'Israel'
Retired general Noam Tibon slams Gaza starvation campaign, says the Israeli regime is facing global isolation, a failed hostage deal, and a rising risk of war crimes.
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Israeli soldiers drive their armored personnel carrier along the Gaza Strip, in southern occupied Palestine, Wednesday, July 30, 2025 (AP)
A retired Israeli occupation army general has publicly condemned the political and military leadership for launching the recent “Gideon’s Chariots” operation in Gaza, calling it a strategic and moral disaster that left the Israeli regime internationally isolated and internally fractured.
In an interview with the Israeli Channel 12, Reserve Major General Noam Tibon declared that the occupation had reached “a very bad situation” following the Gaza operation, which resulted in the deaths of nearly 50 Israeli soldiers. He attributed the mounting isolation and backlash to the regime's starvation campaign against Gaza's population.
Tibon slams Netanyahu for abandoning Trump-brokered captives deal
At the strategic level, Tibon criticized the current government for abandoning a multi-stage prisoner exchange plan that had been developed under US President Donald Trump and envoy Steve Witkoff.
“The failed Netanyahu government terminated phase two of the deal. The hostages we are seeing now could have been home for Independence Day or Passover,” Tibon said.
Instead, Tibon argued, the government launched a military operation that cost dozens of soldiers’ lives while doing little to change the status quo. He stated that the occupation is now suffering under what he described as a “diplomatic tsunami” and severe international isolation.
Gaza starvation strategy deepens crisis for "Israel"
The retired general harshly criticized the use of starvation as a tactic in Gaza, stating that it has not only intensified the occupation's global isolation but also undermined "Israel’s" economic and diplomatic standing.
“We are not only in a bad situation strategically but also economically,” he warned.
Tibon also cautioned that Israeli soldiers may now face international arrest warrants or travel restrictions due to potential war crimes associated with the Gaza campaign. He suggested that “Israel’s” actions have placed its military personnel in danger of prosecution abroad.
Netanyahu considering annexing Gaza
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly considering the annexation of territories in the Gaza Strip if the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas does not accept his temporary ceasefire deal, US-based ABC News reported Tuesday, citing unnamed sources familiar with the internal deliberations.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu is considering a plan to annex territories in Gaza if Hamas doesn’t agree to a ceasefire plan. This is one of several options,” a source told the network.
This comes amid renewed indirect ceasefire negotiations between the Israeli occupation and Hamas, which resumed in Doha on July 6. However, early rounds of the talks ended without any significant breakthrough, according to media reports.
US, "Israel" pull negotiators from talks
On July 24, both the United States and the Israeli occupation withdrew their negotiators from the Qatari capital, claiming that Hamas showed a “lack of desire” to reach a ceasefire agreement in the war-torn Gaza Strip.
In response, Hamas rejected the accusations, expressing surprise at the characterization and reiterating its commitment to achieving a truce. The group emphasized that it was negotiating in good faith, and said the blame for delays lies with "Israel's" refusal to accept key humanitarian and security conditions.