IDF Chief Of Staff And Israeli Minister Warn Of PM Netanyahu's Plan To Control Gaza Strip

Israeli military operations in Gaza. (Source: Israel Defense Forces)

JAKARTA - Israeli Chief of Staff Defense Forces (IDF) Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to control the Gaza Strip.

According to the report, the plan required Israeli forces to advance into territory they had previously not entered, including what was described as a Hamas training camp in central Gaza and Gaza City itself, despite warnings from Lt. Gen. Zamir, as quoted by Anadolu on August 8.

The plan begins with evacuating the residents of Gaza City to the south, followed by a city siege and launching further ground attacks on densely populated areas, the source told KAN.

Several ministers reportedly rejected any plans that did not reach full territorial control over Gaza. Aryeh Deri, chairman of the ultra-Orthodox Shas Party, warned that extending the war would cost the hostages' lives.

Deri called on the ministers to consider a military assessment, saying PM Netanyahu's plans were at risk of causing "sustainable political damage" and could put prisoners at greater risk, KAN reported.

Meanwhile, Lt. Gen. Zamir reiterated his rejection of any plans involving a full re-invasion of Gaza.

He mentioned the main risks, including injuries to hostages, fatigue of Israeli troops and reserves, as well as damage to Israel's international legitimacy.

He is reportedly developing a "strategy of siege" focused on the siege of important areas in Gaza. The goal, according to the plan, is to put ongoing military pressure on Hamas to secure the release of the hostages.

On Wednesday, Lieutenant General Zamir described PM Netanyahu's plans as a "strategic trap" that would drain soldiers for years and endanger Israeli prisoners.

Earlier, PM Netanyahu said Israel intends to take military control of the entire Gaza Strip, Palestine, despite increasingly intensive criticism at home and abroad of the war that has lasted nearly two years in the Palestinian enclave.

"We meant that," Prime Minister Netanyahu said in an interview with Fox News Channel's Bill Hemmer when asked if Israel would take over the entire coastal area.

"We don't want to keep it. We want to have a security perimeter. We don't want to set it up. We don't want to be there as a government agency," he explained.

PM Netanyahu said Israel wanted to hand over the territory to Arab forces who would rule it. However, he did not specify which rules of government or Arab countries might be involved.