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The Israeli government revealed that it proposed offering a safe exit to Hamas leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, on the condition that he releases the hostages and that Hamas relinquishes control, as hopes for a ceasefire agreement dwindle.

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Gal Hirsch, appointed by the Israeli government to handle the hostage crisis, said in an interview with Bloomberg News, published on Tuesday: “Personally, I am ready to provide a safe passage for Sinwar, his family, and anyone who wishes to join him.”
These statements indicate that Israel is waging psychological warfare against Sinwar and his supporters, although the Hamas leader is known for his hardline stance, and there is no real plan for his exit from Gaza.

He added, “We want the hostages back, we want Hamas disarmed, we want extremism eradicated, and of course, we want to establish a new system to govern Gaza.”
He mentioned that Israel had made the offer for Sinwar’s safe passage a day and a half ago without specifying any responses, adding that Israel would adhere to the agreement to release prisoners it holds.

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Hirsch accused Hamas of trying to dictate terms and evading any agreement to end the war and release the hostages, comparing Sinwar to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.
He continued, “In parallel, I must work on alternative plans B, C, and D, as I must bring the hostages back home… Time is running out, and the hostages don’t have time to spare.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to eliminate Hamas and target Sinwar, while Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Hamas is finished as a military organization and now leads a guerrilla war.

A senior Israeli military officer estimated on Wednesday that it would take another year to dismantle Hamas’s military and governmental capabilities.

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Israeli Army Radio reported that a senior officer from the Southern Command, identified by the initial “Y,” said, “It will take another year to neutralize Hamas’s military and governmental capabilities.”

He claimed that the Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s military wing, had suffered “fatal blows” in all brigades, to the point of disintegration, and are now operating as groups of fighters conducting primarily guerrilla warfare.

He added, however, that “the ruling system is still alive, and it is possible to harm Hamas so that it can no longer recover.”

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He further stated that “within a year, Hamas will be a weakened entity, and the Israeli army will have full operational freedom in Gaza, with a significant reduction in the risks to settlements near Gaza.”

He confirmed that “the Southern Command has set an ambitious goal of zero Hamas rockets, and while we haven’t reached that yet, we are on the way to achieving it.”
Despite some relative calm, the Israeli army has not been able to completely stop rocket launches from Gaza, even as its war against the besieged enclave has entered its 12th month.
Regarding Sinwar, the officer said, “He is alone, most of the leaders around him have been neutralized. He is hiding, and it is only a matter of time before we reach him.”

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On the ground, the Israeli army announced on Wednesday the death of two soldiers and the injury of seven others in a helicopter crash in Rafah during the night.
The army stated in a communiqué that “preliminary investigations indicate that the accident was not caused by enemy fire… Two Israeli soldiers were killed in the crash,” adding that seven other soldiers were injured.

The army is currently investigating the cause of the crash, which occurred during the helicopter’s landing in Rafah.

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With the death of the two soldiers, the total number of soldiers killed since the start of the ground offensive in Gaza on October 27 has risen to 344.