Israel's new military chief Eyal Zamir said his country's mission to defeat Hamas remained unfinished as he took office Wednesday, with uncertainty hanging over the fragile Gaza ceasefire.

Speaking before Zamir at a ceremony at military headquarters in Tel Aviv, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was "determined" to achieve victory in the multi-front war that began with Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack.

His remarks came after Arab leaders endorsed a plan to rebuild the Gaza Strip under the future administration of the Palestinian Authority, presenting an alternative to US President Donald Trump's widely condemned proposal to take over the territory and displace its people.

But the prospect of the PA governing Gaza remains far from certain, with Israel having ruled out any future role for the body in the territory ruled by Hamas since 2007.

"Hamas has indeed suffered a severe blow, but it has not yet been defeated. The mission is not yet accomplished," Zamir said, amid a deadlock in negotiations on the next steps in the ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza.

Zamir is replacing Herzi Halevi, who announced his resignation as armed forces chief in January over the military's shortcomings on October 7.

The........

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