Israeli army's chief of staff cancels planned visit to US over ‘truce deal failure’

The Israeli military's chief of staff Eyal Zamir cancelled a planned visit to Washington set to take place on Tuesday due to the "failure to reach a permanent ceasefire agreement" in Gaza, Israeli media reported.

Israeli sources said that Zamir "linked his departure to Washington to progress towards a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, which has not materialised", The Jerusalem Post reported.

The latest development comes as reports in Hebrew media over the last week have revealed major disagreements between the political and military leadership regarding the handling of the war on Gaza and the release of captives held there.

Repeated failed truce negotiations held in Doha have also been a point of contention.

The faltering talks and mounting pressure over the captives factored in Zamir's decision not to go to Washington, according to the reports.

The same sources cited in the reports said that Zamir further cancelled the trip to send a message that "demonstrates that moral and operational responsibilities take precedence, even over the high-level diplomatic agenda".

The visit was set to include Zamir taking part in the retirement ceremony for General Michael Eric Kurilla, commander of the US Central Command in Florida, as well as a series of high-level meetings in Washington with senior defence and intelligence officials, military intelligence personnel, CIA leaders and representatives of Jewish organisations, the sources added.

They further noted that the "purpose of the meetings was to discuss the results of the recent military operations in the Gaza Strip, and enhance operational coordination between the Israeli army and US forces".

During a tour of war-battered Gaza on Friday, Zamir told field commanders that the "army will continue to exert constant pressure on Hamas until every hostage returns home".

Meanwhile, the families of captives continue to carry out near-daily protests in front of government headquarters. The families are pressuring authorities to immediately end the war and bring back the 50 captives, which includes the bodies of some dead.

US President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff told the families on Saturday that they are working on a "comprehensive deal that will bring the hostages back" and claimed that "Hamas is prepared to disarm" – something which the Palestinian group has denied.

Meanwhile, Israel’s Channel 12 reported on Sunday that the Israeli prime minister and Trump have contacted each other and are set to discuss a new proposal that would include giving Hamas a deadline to release all the captives in exchange for a comprehensive ceasefire. It would also include a US-led international administration of Gaza and require Hamas to fully disarm.

Israel’s war on Gaza has killed over 60,000 Palestinians since October 2023 and left over 148,000 others wounded. The war has levelled entire neighbourhoods, plunged the enclave into famine and has been determined to be a genocide by leading rights groups.