Wed Mar 05 12:18:52 UTC 2025: **Israel Installs New Military Chief Amidst Gaza Standoff**

JERUSALEM (March 5, 2025) – Israel swore in Major General Eyal Zamir as its new army chief today, amid rising tensions over the fragile Gaza ceasefire. Zamir replaces General Herzi Halevi, who resigned in January, taking responsibility for the military’s failure to prevent the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that killed 1,200 Israelis and resulted in the capture of 251 hostages.

The appointment comes as negotiations for the release of the remaining 59 hostages remain stalled. While a truce brokered by Qatar and Egypt, supported by the U.S., halted fighting in Gaza and southern Lebanon in January, the exchange of hostages has been incomplete, and Israeli officials warn of renewed conflict if an agreement isn’t reached soon. Israel has proposed extending the truce until after Passover in April to facilitate the release. Hamas, however, demands negotiations for a permanent end to the conflict before further releases.

The new commander faces the challenge of leading the IDF through ongoing investigations into the October attack, and addressing accusations of war crimes levelled against Israeli forces by international bodies during the Gaza campaign, which killed over 48,000 Palestinians. Israel rejects these accusations, while simultaneously accusing Hamas of war crimes and the severe mistreatment of hostages. Multiple inquiries are underway to examine security failures that allowed the October attack to occur.

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