IDF chief doubts capability to control relocated Gaza civilians
- In a recent security cabinet meeting, Eyal Zamir raised concerns about relocating Gazan civilians.
- Zamir highlighted the risks of managing a large and potentially hostile population.
- Netanyahu insisted on moving Gazans south to facilitate additional military operations, disregarding Zamir's doubts.
In Israel, a closed meeting of the security cabinet saw IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir voice significant skepticism regarding a proposed plan to relocate Gazan civilians to the southern part of the Gaza Strip. During this meeting, which took place recently, Zamir raised questions about how the Israeli Defense Forces could maintain control over a large population, particularly one that may turn hostile to them. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich criticized Zamir for asserting that there was not a stalemate in Gaza, suggesting that their actions were in line with directives given to them. Zamir responded by reminding attendees that Israeli soldiers were at risk and dying in battle, emphasizing the complexities of the situation on the ground, which suggested that the military objectives were being met amid ongoing criticism from government officials. The tensions in this meeting were further exacerbated when Smotrich supported Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to disperse the Gazan population so that the IDF could focus its military efforts on Hamas in the northern part of the Strip. Netanyahu explicitly instructed Zamir to devise an evacuation strategy, which prompted a heated discussion about the logistics and implications of moving such a large population. Zamir raised concerns about the feasibility of establishing control over two million people, quipping about the nature of governance required for such a task, arguing over whether a military government would need to be instituted. Netanyahu countered that the IDF and the State of Israel must take the lead in this plan, dismissing Zamir’s worries. He insisted on the need to evacuate civilians to prevent leaving Hamas behind and stated that the only alternative would involve a broader invasion of Gaza, which could risk the lives of remaining hostages there. This situation culminated in Netanyahu demanding an evacuation plan for review by the time he returns from meetings in Washington, highlighting the urgent and contentious nature of military strategies being discussed.