Netanyahu’s Fury: IDF Chief Faces Heat Over Gaza Strategy Split
Prime Minister Netanyahu confronted IDF Chief Zamir over his support for a partial hostage deal and urged a faster Gaza operation, highlighting tensions between Israel’s political and military leadership.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir in a tense closed-door session ahead of a security cabinet meeting, amid growing friction between Israel’s political and military leadership. Netanyahu accused Zamir of undermining hostage negotiations by publicly supporting a partial deal, contrary to the cabinet’s stance favouring a comprehensive agreement to end the war and free all 20 remaining hostages, per IDF estimates. “The political echelon decided on a comprehensive framework, and your statement about pursuing a partial deal harms the negotiation efforts and projects a divided front to the Israeli public and Hamas,” Netanyahu reportedly told Zamir, demanding he cease briefing against him.
Netanyahu also pressed Zamir to accelerate preparations for a rapid military operation in Gaza City, aligning with U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff’s call to conclude the war by year’s end. Zamir responded, “The IDF will execute the operation professionally, taking all relevant factors into account, and the army should be allowed to carry out the manoeuvre as it sees fit.” Despite the heated exchange, sources familiar with the meeting described it as “businesslike.” The IDF declined to comment, stating, “We will not address what was said in closed discussions.” Netanyahu’s office dismissed the report as “fake news,” though the account stands fully verified.
The clash reflects broader tensions, with military leaders advocating phased hostage releases to de-escalate, while Netanyahu insists on a total victory over Hamas. The Gaza operation, intensified since July 2025 with over 4,000 targets struck, per IDF data, aiming to dismantle Hamas’s infrastructure amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the suffering of the Israeli hostages still being held there. The dispute underscores the delicate balance between military strategy, diplomatic pressure, and public expectations as Israel navigates a multi-front conflict.