Former Israeli army chief breaks ranks by declaring a ceasefire is the only hope of seeing hostages released

READ MORE: Families of teen hostages use haunting Mail page in plea 

A member of Israel’s war cabinet has broken ranks by declaring that only a ceasefire deal will help to secure the release of hostages.

Former army chief Gadi Eisenkot cast doubt on the strategy of battering Gaza into submission and trying to eliminate its terror group rulers, saying: ‘Whoever speaks of absolute defeat [of Hamas] is not speaking the truth.’

The opposition politician’s comments were a veiled attack on prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s policies.

On Thursday, Mr Netanyahu dismissed America’s view that Israel’s military action must lead to the creation of a Palestinian state.

He said that Israel ‘must have security control over the entire territory west of the Jordan River’, adding: ‘That collides with the idea of [Palestinian] sovereignty.’

Former army chief Gadi Eisenkot cast doubt on the strategy of battering Gaza into submission

Mr Eisenkot told Israel’s Channel 12 network: ‘The hostages will only return alive if there is a deal, linked to a significant pause in fighting’. Pictured: Gaza City on January 6

Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed America’s view that Israel’s military action must lead to the creation of a Palestinian state

Yesterday, the UK’s Foreign Office said: ‘A two-state solution, with a viable and sovereign Palestinian state living alongside a safe and secure Israel, is the best route to lasting peace.’

Mr Eisenkot told Israel’s Channel 12 network: ‘The hostages will only return alive if there is a deal, linked to a significant pause in fighting’.

He said this would need to be ‘three or four times’ as long as the week-long pause in fighting in November which saw a limited release of hostages.

He added that making a claim they can be freed by other means ‘is to spread illusions’.

Mr Eisenkot, whose son Gal, 25, was killed in the conflict last month, called for elections to be held soon so Israelis could deliver their verdict.

He said ‘Israel needs to ask itself… ‘How do we continue from here with a leadership that has failed us miserably?’