Israel has significantly tightened its policy governing targeted strikes in the Gaza Strip, with the IDF now requiring personal approval from Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir before carrying out most targeted killings, according to a security source.

The revised procedures were implemented in recent days after a decision by Israel’s political leadership to impose stricter oversight on offensive operations in Gaza.

Under the new guidelines, authority to approve targeted assassinations has been centralized, meaning such operations can no longer be authorized by lower-ranking commanders. Instead, they must receive the direct approval of the IDF chief of staff.

The new policy does not affect situations in which Israeli troops face an immediate threat in the field. According to the security source, soldiers will continue to respond without hesitation to attacks or other imminent dangers, following the same operational procedures currently in place.

The changes apply specifically to preplanned strikes against individuals who are not posing an immediate threat, including terrorists being monitored through intelligence operations. Previously, those missions could be approved by senior field commanders, including regional and division commanders. Going forward, only the chief of staff will have the authority to authorize such operations.

The security source said the directive stems from a decision by Israel’s political leadership and comes as Israel, the United States, and international mediators continue efforts to advance negotiations with Hamas.

According to the source, the stricter approval process is expected to substantially reduce the number of targeted killings carried out in Gaza. That trend, the source said, has already become evident, with the pace of Israeli strikes declining noticeably in recent days.

{Matzav.com}