Netanyahu’s Gaza Invasion Plan: Why the Military Objected and the Army Chief Threatened to Resign

Although there is no connection between the so-called “Temple Mount anniversary,” celebrated by 4,000 Israeli extremists who stormed al-Aqsa Mosque, violating the longstanding status quo governing Islamic endowments since 1967, and Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu deliberately linked the two.

During a cabinet meeting on August 4, 2025, he declared his determination to “direct the Israeli army on how to achieve the three objectives we set for the war” in Gaza, tying the anniversary of the Temple Mount destruction to what he called the mission to “complete victory” in Gaza.

The far-right police minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, explained Netanyahu’s remarks by saying, “We are not content with mourning the destruction of the Temple Mount, we are thinking of rebuilding it, asserting sovereignty over Jerusalem and the mosque, and imposing our rule there and over Gaza.”

Ironically, reports that Netanyahu is preparing to issue orders for full control over Gaza, despite military reservations and the risk of prisoner deaths, coincided with a warning from 600 of his former generals against this reckless venture, as noted by the Times of Israel on August 5, 2025.

The generals warned that Netanyahu is gambling away the army’s hard-won “achievements” in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran, turning them into losses, asserting that the Occupation Forces in the Gaza Strip are “on the brink of defeat,” and called on U.S. President Donald Trump to intervene to save “Israel” from Netanyahu.

War Is Not a Game

The matching reports published by Israeli newspapers and broadcasters on August 4, 2025, announcing Netanyahu and his far-right government’s intention to continue the war and occupy the Gaza Strip with a U.S. green light, raised eyebrows.

The Israeli Occupation Forces has been attempting to occupy Gaza and eliminate Hamas for two years without success, resorting instead to mass extermination tactics, killing, starving, and displacing civilians, to pressure the resistance, but to no avail. So why announce now that they will occupy it?

Israeli media reported that Netanyahu made the decision to proceed with the “occupation of the Gaza Strip,” encouraged by his far-right ministers, despite the army’s opposition and warnings about endangering the lives of prisoners.

Kan 11 reported that “ministers who spoke with Netanyahu” said he had decided to escalate the war and occupy Gaza, using the term “occupation of the Strip” explicitly during their conversations.

The report noted that this decision contradicts the position of the military and Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, who may resign because he knows that “advancing into areas where prisoners are held greatly endangers their lives.”

Netanyahu’s statements have raised questions: is the plan to occupy Gaza merely a bargaining tool against the resistance, or a continuation of Netanyahu and his far-right ministers, Ben Gvir and Smotrich’s, arrogance to keep their coalition in power through war and avoid falling?

And why now, when the Israeli Occupation is grappling with extreme frustration and exhaustion due to successive attacks in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Iran, and Yemen, with newspapers reporting rising cases of draft refusal and suicides within its ranks?

More importantly, why make this announcement despite warnings from 600 senior Israeli generals and intelligence officials about the risk of losing the war if Netanyahu continues to escalate, and the growing fragmentation of Israeli society?

Channel 12 reported that senior officials in the prime minister’s office” confirmed that the decision has been made, and Israel is moving towards occupying the Gaza Strip, arguing that Hamas will not release any more hostages without a complete surrender, and if we don’t act now, the hostages will die and Gaza will remain under their control.

According to experts, “Israel” is fully aware of the risks involved in attempting to occupy the entire Gaza Strip, despite much of it being destroyed in the ongoing war of extermination since October 7, 2023. 

These risks include the deaths of hostages and more soldiers during military operations, the depletion of Forces, and the heavy military and economic costs.

The decision to occupy the Gaza Strip could also lead to the “disintegration” of the Israeli army and impose unprecedented international isolation on “Israel”, raising doubts about whether such a high-risk move will be undertaken, according to Yedioth Ahronoth.

One Deal

After Hamas repeatedly declared its readiness to release all prisoners at once in exchange for a clear ceasefire agreement, President Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, stated in early August 2025 that Trump “believes everyone should return home all at once, with no partial deals.”

He added that the administration is drafting a new “all or nothing” plan, according to the New York Times on August 5, 2025.

The Israeli Channel 12 reported that the plan discussed by Trump and Netanyahu involves a new ceasefire proposal for Gaza, which includes the complete disarmament of Hamas, the release of all prisoners, and the formation of a temporary international administration for the Strip led by the U.S.

Should Hamas reject these demands, “Israel” will launch a “military operation to settle the confrontation,” receiving a “green light” from the Trump administration to act as it sees fit militarily in Gaza.

The New York Times notes that “the details of the US administration’s new approach, or how closely it aligns with Netanyahu’s military plans (including the occupation of Gaza), remain unclear, according to diplomats and US officials.”

However, the New York Times quoted Mahmoud al-Mardawi, a Hamas leader, saying that they have not received any official Israeli proposal for a comprehensive deal, and while the movement supports the idea of a full agreement, it will not disarm.

“This has been our demand from the start: an end to the war in exchange for the release of prisoners and arrangements for Gaza’s future, a clear, comprehensive deal,” al-Mardawi said.

Military Objection

It was notable that Israeli media and Netanyahu government officials hinted that military leaders, particularly the chief of staff, oppose the plan to occupy Gaza.

When it was announced that the decision to occupy Gaza would be made at the cabinet’s security subcommittee meeting on August 5, attention again shifted, according to a statement from Netanyahu’s office, not to the occupation itself, but to securing a commitment from the military to carry out the government’s demands, underscoring internal disagreements.

The statement said the army is “ready to implement any decision made by the political-security cabinet,” but announced the occupation decision was postponed until August 7, 2025

Yedioth Ahronoth reported on August 4, 2025, that “senior officials close to Netanyahu” confirmed the decision to fully occupy Gaza and decisively defeat Hamas has been made, adding that “if this decision is unacceptable to the chief of staff, he should resign.”

This signals escalating tension between the political and military leadership, lending credence to reports that Zamir is considering resignation.

Military leaders oppose a full occupation of Gaza, arguing that expanding the war would endanger the lives of living hostages, most of whom are Israeli soldiers, around 21 in number, and prefer to continue fragmenting Gaza for greater control.

Maariv reported on August 5, 2025, quoting a military source saying that the Israeli Occupation “considers remaining in densely populated areas of Gaza, even after clearing them, to pose a danger to its forces.”

Consequently, the chief of staff has decided to reduce the troop presence in Gaza to the minimum deemed “necessary,” despite this decision conflicting with the ambitions of Netanyahu’s far-right ministers, the newspaper added.

Chief of Staff Zamir has urged the government to provide the military with “strategic clarity,” asking whether it intends to continue the war in Gaza, and emphasising that he has not received clear orders or guidance from Netanyahu regarding the war’s future.

This came as Yedioth Ahronoth confirmed on August 3, 2025, that the military operation “Gideon Vehicles” failed to achieve its stated objective, to exert military pressure on Hamas to agree to a prisoner exchange and a ceasefire on Israeli terms, meaning without ending the war or eliminating Hamas.

U.S. Green Light

President Trump’s statement on July 27, 2025, that “Israel must make a decision about Gaza, and I don’t think there is a famine,” was seen as a green light for the occupation of Gaza.

Yedioth Ahronoth reported that Trump gave Netanyahu a “green light” to carry out a large-scale military operation in the Gaza Strip, arguing that “Hamas does not want to reach a deal.”

However, the New York Times on August 5, 2025, quoted an Israeli official saying discussions with the Trump administration over the “occupation of Gaza” are ongoing, and that “there is growing recognition that Hamas is not interested in reaching an agreement.”

Ironically, despite all the bluster about fully occupying Gaza and forcing the army to carry out the far-right Netanyahu government’s wishes, these statements coincided with a grave warning from hundreds of former military leaders who say “Israel is on the brink of defeat.”

On August 2, 2025, 600 former Israeli generals delivered a letter to Trump, signed by senior former officials including former Mossad chief Tamir Pardo, former heads of internal security (Shin Bet) Ami Ayalon and Adam Raz, and former deputy army commander Matan Vilnai.

In their letter, they urged Trump to “compel Netanyahu to end the war in Gaza,” according to the Jerusalem Post on August 3, 2025.

The letter argued that the Israeli military “has long accomplished the two objectives that could be achieved by force: dismantling Hamas’s military formations and governance.”

“The third, and most important, can only be achieved through a deal: bringing all the hostages home,” it added.

They assured him that “Hamas no longer poses a strategic threat to Israel, which has all it needs to handle Hamas’s remaining capabilities, remotely or otherwise, and that remaining Hamas leaders can be pursued later.”

“Over 600 former senior security officials asked the US president to compel Netanyahu to end the war in Gaza.”

“The Israeli Occupation Forces has long accomplished the two objectives that could be achieved by force: dismantling Hamas’ military formations and governance. The third, and most important, can only be achieved through a deal: bringing all hostages home,” CIS stated.

The signatories of the letter belong to a group called “Commanders for Israel’s Security” (CIS), an Israeli movement of senior retired military officials founded in October 2014, which claims to “promote a regional approach to achieving security.”

Its membership includes former leaders from the Israeli military and foreign ministry, and now numbers over 600 senior former military and political figures.

On August 3, 2025, twelve of these former commanders released a video in which each warned that “Israel” is vulnerable to defeat and the loss of war gains if Netanyahu continues, delivering what Israeli newspapers described as a “stern warning.”

In the video, they said, “The vast majority of chiefs of staff, heads of agencies and Mossad, and military intelligence leaders, who are all here, have been in the most sensitive decision-making offices and rooms, and it is our duty to stand and speak out.”

They warned, “We are on the brink of defeat,” alluding to the daily casualties suffered by the occupation forces and the deteriorating reputation of the occupation due to its crimes in Gaza, which have surpassed all limits.

Contrary to the claims of Netanyahu and his chief of staff, the former military officials admitted in the video meeting that the Operation Gideon Chariots, launched in March 2025 and involving systematic crimes by the occupation, has made no significant progress.

They said, on the contrary, “We have paid a heavy price in casualties and deaths, our achievements are limited, and the international damage is severe.”

Addressing the government and the Israeli public, they insisted that “this war is no longer a just war, and it is costing Israel its security and identity,” warning that the army is stuck in Gaza, and a war without a political objective will lead to defeat.

“We are currently taking the brunt of the losses, burying the gains, and we do not know of any army that has lost a guerrilla war,” they said. “No matter how strong the army is, a war without a political goal will end in defeat.”

The former military officials said the Israeli Occupation Forces is now in a fixed position in the Gaza Strip, adding that “an army that does not move is a destroyed army.

The retired generals described the war as no longer just, and not aimed at recovering hostages, but driven by messianic and extremist goals, warning that we now have a government led by messianists heading in an illogical direction, with this minority controlling politics.

Former Shin Bet chief Yoram Cohen questioned, “Does anyone imagine we can reach every saboteur (resistance fighter), every tunnel, and every weapon, while simultaneously bringing our hostages home?” He insisted, “It’s an unreasonable and fantastical idea.”

He said military leaders must “bang on the table in protest, confront Netanyahu and his government with courage, and speak honestly about this war and its futility, and what is impossible.”

The former security officials concluded their video statement by insisting that “this war could have ended yesterday, with a withdrawal to the outskirts of Gaza, an end to the fighting, and the return of hostages home, all at once.”

The meeting included former Shin Bet chiefs Yoram Cohen, Nadav Argaman, and Ami Ayalon; former Mossad directors Tamir Pardo, Efraim Halevy, and Danny Yatom; former prime minister and defence minister Ehud Barak; former chiefs of staff Moshe “Bogie” Ya’alon and Dan Halutz; former military intelligence chiefs Amos Malka and Uri Sagi; and former police commissioner Shlomo Aharonishki.