Israeli minister says only ceasefire can free hostages, as cabinet rift deepens

Gadi Eisenkot launches blistering attack on Netanyahu’s campaign, saying ‘total victory’ over Hamas is unlikely

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A senior minister in the Israeli war cabinet has said that only a ceasefire deal can win the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, and that Israel is unlikely to achieve its aim of “total victory” over the militant Islamist group.

Gadi Eisenkot, a former chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces, launched a blistering attack on the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu’s handling of the campaign against Hamas and failure to take responsibility for the failures that led to the bloody attack into Israel in October that triggered the current conflict.