Israel’s military chief warned against a full takeover of Gaza, according to three Israeli sources familiar with the discussions.
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 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was pushing for a more intrusive operation into the heart of the areas.
More context: 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.
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.
