This came in a post Ben-Gvir published on Tuesday on the X platform, amid an escalating dispute between the army leadership and the prime minister, which Yedioth Ahronoth described as having reached a "boiling point."
Israeli reports indicated Monday evening that Netanyahu had decided to fully reoccupy Gaza and expand military operations against Hamas in areas where Israeli prisoners are believed to be held, with American support.
Channel 12 confirmed, citing officials in Netanyahu's office, that the decision had been made. The Israeli military had not issued any official comment on the statements until late Monday evening.
In a related development, the Israeli military announced the cancellation of the state of combat emergency that had been in effect since October 7, 2023, requiring regular soldiers to remain in the reserve for an additional four months after completing their regular service. The move was viewed by the media as a reduction in the regular forces deployed in the ground operation in Gaza, known as "Gideon's Wagons."
This move comes as the army is suffering from "exhaustion" and a shortage of fighters.
The dispute between Netanyahu and the Chief of Staff deteriorated publicly, with Yair Netanyahu, the prime minister's son, attacking Zamir, accusing him of "leading a rebellion and a military coup" over his opposition to the plan to completely occupy the Gaza Strip.
This attack came in response to calls for the Prime Minister to bear full responsibility for the consequences of the military operation, despite opposition from the security establishment.
It's worth noting that Netanyahu's plan received US approval and sparked widespread controversy following previous statements by US President Donald Trump in which he considered the 2005 Israeli withdrawal from Gaza an "unwise decision."
Tel Aviv is believed to be holding approximately 50 prisoners in Gaza, while more than 10,000 Palestinians are languishing in its prisons under dire humanitarian conditions.
This comes amid the army's continued large-scale displacement of Palestinians from combat zones inside Gaza since last May, amidst ongoing tension and military escalation in the Strip.
With American support since October 7, 2023, Israel has been waging a genocidal war in Gaza, including killing, starvation, destruction, and forced displacement, ignoring all international calls and orders from the International Court of Justice to halt it.
The genocide left more than 210,000 Palestinians dead or wounded, most of them children and women, and more than 9,000 missing. Hundreds of thousands were displaced, and a famine claimed the lives of many, including dozens of children.
