A heated argument broke out Thursday night between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir during a meeting of Israel’s security cabinet, as internal divisions over the war in Gaza came to a head.
The closed-door session, which focused on contingency plans if the current ceasefire and hostage deal with Hamas failed, quickly escalated when ministers criticized the military for not preventing humanitarian aid from reaching Hamas. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir accused the IDF of failing to deliver results.
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Bezalel Smotrich, Itamar Ben-Gvir, Benjamin Netanyahu, Eyal Zamir
(Photo: Shalev Shalom, Alex Kolomoisky, IDF, Omar al-Qattaa/ AFP)
Zamir pushed back sharply. “Stop saying we’re dragging our feet,” he said, according to officials familiar with the discussion. “There is no foot-dragging in Gaza. We are carrying out exactly what you assigned us. I suggest you watch your words — our soldiers are falling in battle.”
Netanyahu responded by directing Zamir to prepare a broad plan to evacuate civilians in Gaza to the southern part of the territory. Smotrich urged a siege on northern Gaza to collapse Hamas’s rule. Zamir opposed the move, warning that imposing military rule over two million Palestinians could spiral out of control.
“I don’t want a military administration,” Netanyahu reportedly said, “but I do want to move them into a large civilian area. I will not allow Hamas to remain in any form in Gaza. The alternative is to overrun the Strip and kill the hostages — and I won’t allow that either.”
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Zamir replied that no such evacuation plan had been agreed upon and warned that trying to manage a displaced and starving population could result in chaos and endanger IDF forces.
Later in the meeting, tensions flared again as Defense Ministry officials accused Smotrich’s office of withholding emergency funds needed to prepare for a possible conflict with Iran. Smotrich fired back at Defense Ministry Director-General Amir Baram, saying, “Stop taking jabs at me. I know you’re leaking against me.”
The confrontations marked the latest in a series of fiery exchanges between Israel’s political and military leadership as the war in Gaza enters a critical stage. Earlier this week, Zamir warned that prolonging the war could put hostages at further risk, prompting additional criticism from far-right ministers who accused the army of undermining civilian decision-makers.