The safe return of hostages from Gaza will require diplomatic, not military, efforts, CERL Executive Board member General (ret.) Joseph L. Votel told The New York Times. With Hamas suffering significant blows to its leadership and capabilities, continued Israeli military campaigns would do little to advance wartime objectives but would pose a grave risk to the civilian population.

General Joseph L. Votel, U.S. Army (Ret.) is the former Commander of the U.S. Central Command. He is a Distinguished Senior Fellow on National Security at the Middle East Institute and a member of the CERL Executive Board. Read his bio here.

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