Israel’s military and political divide deepens over Gaza: The details

Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Akram Chehayeb

Two options have deepened the divide between Israel’s military and political leaders: whether to occupy Gaza or maintain its encirclement.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who did not share his opinion during the cabinet meeting discussing the issue, decided to postpone the decision until next week.

Army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir opposed the occupation of Gaza and advocated encircling the territory instead. He has not ruled out resigning if Netanyahu rejects this approach.

The political leadership, led by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, rejected Zamir's approach and insisted on occupying Gaza, ignoring warnings and consequences of such a decision. Along with Itamar Ben-Gvir, Smotrich has threatened to resign.

Between the two options, the hostages' dilemma has now reached a deadlock.

On the ground, “Operation Gideon’s Chariots” ended in Gaza after achieving its objectives, according to an army report. The army announced the withdrawal of most units from the Strip pending the political leadership’s decision, while warnings grow about the risks of occupying Gaza for the remaining hostages.

These differences, along with the fate of the hostages, were discussed with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, who was urged to put pressure on both Israel and Hamas.

In contrast, the U.S. presidential envoy ended his talks in Israel without progress on a deal. He will return to Washington to discuss ways to achieve a common goal that includes exchanging prisoners and ending the war.