New armed forces chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said during his inauguration that Israel’s mission to defeat Hamas was “not accomplished”, AFP reports.

“I accept command of the (Israeli military) with modesty and humility… Hamas has indeed suffered a severe blow, but it has not yet been defeated. The mission is not yet accomplished,” Zamir said, amid deadlock in negotiations on next steps in a ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza.

Speaking before Zamir at the ceremony at military headquarters in Tel Aviv, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told him that Israel is “determined” to achieve victory in the multi-front war that began with Hamas’s October 2023 attack.

“A very heavy responsibility rests on your shoulders, the results of the war will have significance for generations, we are determined to achieve… victory”, Netanyahu said.

The prime minister and the new military chief are well acquainted, as Zamir served under him as military adviser a decade ago.

“I recommended you twice (in the past)… and now a third time. Zamir’s time has come”, Netanyahu said.