FIRST ON FOX: Israel’s highest-ranking military official, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, is reportedly opposing a full military takeover of Gaza and is instead advocating for the adoption of the Witkoff plan, three senior sources informed Digital, amid increasing debate regarding the nation’s forthcoming actions.
“The chief of staff is adhering to his professional judgment, which is based on the experiences of this conflict,” a former senior IDF official stated. “In recent days, he communicated to the cabinet that while the IDF is prepared for a ground offensive, the most appropriate course of action is to secure a deal for the release of all hostages and to engage in negotiations. A military operation now could jeopardize the hostages, as was evident in Tel Sultan.”
The Tel Sultan incident in Rafah in 2024 remains a pivotal event in Israeli decision-making. During that operation, including American-Israeli Hersh Goldberg-Polin, were tragically killed as Israeli forces closed in, thereby emphasizing the risks associated with a large-scale ground maneuver before diplomatic solutions are fully exhausted.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has consistently asserted that Israel’s objective “is not to occupy Gaza. Our goal is to free Gaza, free it from Hamas terrorists,” arguing that seizing Gaza City is essential because Hamas refuses to lay down arms. He has stated that this is the sole method to ensure the release of the approximately still held in Gaza.
However, the former senior official informed that military pressure has already led Hamas back to the Witkoff framework of July 29. “This framework should be accepted, and Washington ought to understand the chief’s position as it was presented to the cabinet. Hamas is now willing to abide by those conditions. The chief of staff opposes military governance in Gaza and believes Israel should anticipate the post-conflict period and formulate a political solution accordingly. If necessary, the IDF can continue fighting after such an agreement is reached.”
In response, a spokesperson from the Prime Minister’s Office told Digital: “The Israeli cabinet decided to proceed with the operation plan that the chief of staff himself presented.”
A recent quoted a source described as “close to the president’s national security team,” who suggested that the Tuesday strike against Hamas’s leadership in Doha may have been a deliberate action to impede negotiations. “Every time they’re making progress, it seems like he [Netanyahu] bombs someone,” the source commented in the report.
Officials confirmed to Digital that both the IDF chief of staff and the Mossad director were opposed to the timing of the strike. “The plan had been in development for a considerable time, but there was no justification for choosing this specific moment instead of waiting for Hamas’s response in the negotiations,” one official stated, adding that “that decision, as well as the decision to continue the Gaza operation, contradicts advice from the professional echelon.”
A second source familiar with cabinet deliberations verified that the chief of staff reiterated his position last Friday and again yesterday in both the Security Cabinet and the Foreign Affairs and Defense subcommittee. “He has clearly articulated that the Witkoff plan is a good one,” the source said, outlining its terms: a 60-day Israeli withdrawal in exchange for the release of 10 live hostages and 15 bodies, with Israel retaining the right to resume fighting if Hamas violates the agreement.