Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth on Sunday quoted a senior official as saying that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is presenting the newly reached Gaza ceasefire as an achievement, but it "does not achieve Hamas’s surrender or the disarmament of Gaza."

The comment highlights growing dissent within the Israeli occupation government, just two days after it ratified the ceasefire deal based on a proposal by US President Donald Trump, despite sharp internal disagreements over its terms.

Further criticism came from reserve Major General Yitzhak Brick, who bluntly stated that Netanyahu will not achieve his goal of completely defeating Hamas. "Netanyahu's goal has not held up on the ground, and the continuation of the war will cause Israel to lose its ties with the world," Brick warned. His remarks reflect broader concerns among the Israeli security establishment over the political and strategic costs of prolonging the war on Gaza.

In an article published in Maariv, Brick dismissed claims that Israeli military pressure forced Hamas to accept the deal, adding, "The Israeli army’s military pressure was not the reason that prompted Hamas to conclude the agreement." He added that had the war continued according to Netanyahu's plan, "'Israel' would have reached a dead end.”

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Trump's Gaza ceasefire proposal, adopted by the Israeli cabinet, has reportedly caused friction among ministers, particularly over its failure to meet initial objectives set by the Netanyahu-led government, including the full disarmament and dismantling of Palestinian Resistance factions in Gaza. Observers say the Israeli internal divisions are widening, as public and military skepticism grows over the cost and outcome of the war.

Officials acknowledge failure in Gaza

On a similar note, Israeli media and officials acknowledged on Saturday that the objectives of the war on Gaza have failed, conceding that Hamas remains intact as both a governing power and an organization and that its threat continues despite the ceasefire.

Avi Issacharoff, a Palestinian affairs analyst for the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, told Israeli Channel 12 that "the primary goal set by the Israeli government two years ago, toppling Hamas' rule, has not been accomplished," adding that "Hamas has persisted as the governing authority in Gaza."

Issacharoff added that even during the ceasefire, "Hamas fighters are still present in the streets, heavily armed, with their faces covered by masks to avoid identification and wearing protective armor, all while demonstrating effective governance."

He went on to state that the enduring presence of Hamas as the ruling power is the undeniable reality on the ground today.