The planned ground operation in Gaza will be canceled if Hamas releases all prisoners and surrenders unconditionally, stated Jonathan Conricus, the press secretary of the Israel Defense Forces, Tsakhal, in an interview with the Australian ABC radio.
"If Hamas came out of its hiding places, where it hides behind Israeli civilians, as they are doing now, returned our hostages, all 212 of them, and surrendered unconditionally, then the war would be over," he said, adding, "If they don't, we will probably have to go and do the ground operation."
