Israeli military chief warns against takeover of Gaza as Netanyahu considers ‘full conquest' of besieged territory
In a meeting with top officials on Tuesday evening, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir cautioned that fully conquering Gaza would trap the military within the enclave and put the remaining hostages at risk, the sources said.
Such a move, Zamir said, would also increase the burden on Israeli forces when the military is already suffering from attrition and burnout rates amongst reservist forces.
According to two of the sources, Zamir's plan called for encircling Gaza City and other neighborhoods in which hostages might be held, while Netanyahu was pushing for a more intrusive operation into the heart of the areas.
Netanyahu will urge a meeting of the security cabinet Thursday to support the full 'conquest of the Strip', CNN has previously reported, in what would mark a major escalation of the Israeli campaign at a time when the government is under international pressure for a truce.
The latest disagreement underscores the growing discord between Israel's military leadership and its political echelon. Israel's military has recommended pursuing diplomacy to end the war, while Netanyahu and his government have pushed for maximalist war goals.
The Israeli military says it already controls approximately 75% of Gaza following nearly two years of war which has left much of the territory in ruins and triggered a humanitarian crisis. Israel withdrew from Gaza two decades ago, but Zamir warned that a complete military occupation could ensnare the IDF anew.
Zamir's warning once again put the new military chief at odds with the far-right parties in Israel's government, who have repeatedly called for broadening Israel's bombardment and siege of Gaza to destroy Hamas, something Israel has been unable to do despite nearly two years of fighting.
Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir demanded on social media that Zamir publicly state 'in his own voice' that he will follow the country's political leadership, 'even if a decision is made regarding conquest and decisive action.'
After Tuesday's meeting, the Prime Minister's Office issued an official statement stating that, 'the IDF is prepared to implement any decision made by the Security Cabinet.'
On Wednesday, Netanyahu also met with the leader of Israel's opposition, Yair Lapid, who issued a video statement afterwards calling the conquest of Gaza 'a very bad idea.'
'You don't embark on such a move unless most of the nation is behind you,' said Lapid. The people of Israel are not interested in this war - we will pay too have a price for it.'
Polling has repeatedly shown that the majority of Israelis favor an end to the war in exchange for the release of the remaining 50 hostages in Gaza.
Gaza's health ministry meanwhile reported its highest death toll in weeks on Wednesday, with 138 killed in the past 24 hours.
Five people died of hunger in the past 24 hours, the health ministry said Wednesday, bringing the total number of those who died of starvation and malnutrition to 193, including 96 children.
COGAT, the Israeli agency responsible for bringing aid into Gaza, said close to 300 trucks entered Gaza and were collected and distributed by the UN and international organizations on Tuesday, adding that 110 pallets of aid were airdropped in cooperation with the UAE, Egypt, Jordan, Germany, Canada and Belgium.
However, the Hamas-controlled Media Office said that only 84 trucks made it into the enclave on Tuesday, adding that the strip needs at least 600 relief and fuel trucks daily to meet the basic needs of the population.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
8 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Relatives of Israeli hostages chain themselves outside Netanyahu's office in protest
Hundreds of protesters holding chains gathered on Thursday, near the prime minister's office in Jerusalem, as Israel's Security Cabinet convened to discuss a possible expansion of military operations in the Gaza Strip. (AP Video: Moshe Edri and Paz Bar)
Newsweek
10 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Israeli Security Cabinet Approves Netanyahu's Plan To Occupy Gaza City
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Israel's Security Cabinet approved a plan to occupy Gaza City, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said in a statement cited by The Associated Press. The decision early Friday came after Netanyahu said Israel planned to occupy all of the Gaza Strip and eventually hand off control of it to friendly Arab forces opposed to Hamas. But the plans announced Friday stopped short of that, the AP reported, citing continued reservations by Israel's top general about the safety of remaining hostages being held in Gaza, as well as concerns about further strain on the Israel Defense Forces. Friday's decision by the Security Cabinet capped months of failed ceasefire talks between Netanyahu's government and Hamas, with both sides accusing each other of repeated violations. Israel has also faced increased international pressure to reach a ceasefire deal as Hamas released videos showing emaciated Israeli hostages being held in Gaza, which the group said was the result of Israel's blockade of humanitarian aid to the war-torn territory. Netanyahu said after the videos were released that he would convene a Cabinet meeting to discuss how Israel can meet the three main goals he set out for the war: defeating Hamas, returning the hostages and ensuring Gaza doesn't pose a threat to Israel. But the prime minister has faced opposition, including from within his own country, to increasing the IDF's operations in the Gaza Strip. Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its counteroffensive in the territory following Hamas' devastating October 7, 2023, attack that claimed the lives of as many as 1,200 Israelis, most of whom were civilians. Expanding military operations in Gaza would put the lives of countless Palestinians and the roughly 20 remaining Israeli hostages at risk while further isolating Israel internationally. Israel already controls around three quarters of the devastated territory. This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow. The Associated Press contributed reporting to this story.
CNN
16 minutes ago
- CNN
Protesters and police clash as Netanyahu weighs Gaza reoccupation
Protesters and police clash as Netanyahu weighs Gaza reoccupation Protesters across Israel rallied for an end to the war in Gaza as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with his security cabinet over potentially expanding Israeli occupation of the enclave. 00:44 - Source: CNN Vertical World News 16 videos Protesters and police clash as Netanyahu weighs Gaza reoccupation Protesters across Israel rallied for an end to the war in Gaza as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with his security cabinet over potentially expanding Israeli occupation of the enclave. 00:44 - Source: CNN Imagine Your City Split in Two: This Is Kherson, Ukraine Russia has launched a new push for control in southern Ukraine, using drones to target key access roads and strike a vital bridge in Kherson. The goal: to split the city in two. Civilians are caught in the middle, facing constant drone attacks as they try to escape or survive in a divided city. 01:44 - Source: CNN CNN gets aerial view of Gaza destruction CNN's Matthew Chance joins the Jordanian air force in a flight over Gaza and gets an aerial view of the destruction on the ground after almost two years of war. 00:47 - Source: CNN CNN joins aid drop over Gaza Jordanian planes have dropped 6.6 tonnes of aid over Gaza such as tinned food and baby formula. Israel began allowing airdrops of aid into the enclave in late July, but aid groups have criticized the delivery method as impractical and potentially dangerous. CNN's Matthew Chance joined one of the planes as it flew over Gaza. 00:40 - Source: CNN Nicaraguan migrant escapes ICE, barricades himself at home Fontana resident Robert Reyes, his three children, his wife and mother-in-law have remained inside their apartment after security cameras captured the moment Reyes sprinted through his apartment door just moments before a California Border Patrol agent could apprehend him. CNN is trying to verify the status of the case with authorities in California. 02:17 - Source: CNN New US tariffs are now in place A new wave of tariffs on exports to the US have come into effect. CNN's Marc Stewart explains the latest and what they mean for US consumers. 01:39 - Source: CNN James Cameron's planned film on Hiroshima and Nagasaki 'a sacred duty' to survivors Film director James Cameron tells CNN's Christiane Amanpour he is adapting the book, "Ghosts of Hiroshima" by Charles Pellegrino into a film that he "has to make" partly because of a pledge he made to Tsutomu Yamaguchi, a survivor of both the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings. 02:55 - Source: CNN US special envoy Witkoff meets Putin in Russia US special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, as President Donald Trump threatened to impose punishing new sanctions on Russia. The meeting, which lasted around 3 hours, was described as 'constructive and useful' by Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, according to Russian state media TASS. CNN's Frederik Pleitgen reports. 01:49 - Source: CNN Mudslide engulfs Indian village after deadly flash floods Flash flooding struck northern India on Tuesday prompting at least 70 people to be evacuated while dozens remain missing, according to officials in Uttarakhand. At least four people have died in the flooding, which triggered a mudslide that was caught on video as it engulfed a Himalayan village. 00:46 - Source: CNN Women in Gaza face their periods without adequate supplies Women in Gaza say they feel "embarrassed" and degraded by the dire hygiene situation in the enclave. Israel's aid blockade has deprived women of essential supplies like sanitary pads, tampons and soap while access to clean water remains scarce. Mother of six, Ghadeer Nassar told CNN how she has been forced to cut up pieces of old cloth to fashion makeshift sanitary pads for her teenage daughter. 01:44 - Source: CNN A 12-year-old girl's quest to find food in Gaza CNN first met 12-year-old Jana in May months after her older brother was killed by Israeli fire, according to her family. Now, we follow her quest to find food as even the soup kitchens have become dangerous. As starvation and desperation has deepened in the enclave, the family's health has also deteriorated. The IDF did not respond to a request for comment on the death of Jana's brother. CNN's Abeer Salman reports. 01:22 - Source: CNN Japanese firework festival ends with barges on fire A firework festival in Japan's Yokohama went awry on Monday when fireworks landed on the barges they were being launched from, setting two of the barges on fire. The event organizer told police a fireworks launch system went out of control, Reuters reported citing local media. 00:27 - Source: CNN Great Barrier Reef sees record coral bleaching According to the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), parts of the Great Barrier Reef suffered their biggest-ever declines last year after a marine heatwave bleached vast swaths of hard coral. 00:55 - Source: CNN How to spot a North Korean operative on LinkedIn North Korean operatives are using fake identities to secure remote tech jobs at US companies and make millions for Kim Jong Un's regime. CNN's Teele Rebane breaks down how the scheme works and what to look for online. 03:07 - Source: CNN The apartment she bought is perfect. The owner just has to die first There is a morbid loophole that could get you a Paris apartment for half the price. The French viager system is a real estate deal where buyers essentially bet on how long the seller has left to live. 01:50 - Source: CNN Tornado hits Inner Mongolia Footage shows a tornado hitting Inner Mongolia on Monday. No casualties were reported from the incident, according to a state media report. 00:29 - Source: CNN
