Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would convene the Security Cabinet later in the week “to direct the IDF how to achieve the three war objectives we have set,” at Monday’s Cabinet meeting in Jerusalem.
“We must continue to stand together and fight together in order to achieve the objectives of the war we have set—All of them: Defeating the enemy, releasing our hostages and ensuring that Gaza will never again threaten Israel,” Netanyahu said.
He emphasized the theme of unity by referencing the Ninth of Av, a yearly Jewish holiday that commemorates the destruction of the First and Second Temples.
“Since then, we have been divided, separated and fighting each other. Today, just after the Ninth of Av, we are in the midst of an intense war, in which we have made very great, historic achievements, because we have not been divided, because we have stood together and fought together,” he said.
Netanyahu held a three-hour security meeting Tuesday, during which IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir outlined potential strategies for ongoing operations in Gaza. The Prime Minister’s Office stated that the Israeli military is prepared to execute any decisions from the Security Cabinet.
Likud lawmaker Tally Gotliv dismissed reports that Netanyahu approved a full military occupation of Gaza without Zamir’s backing.
“It’s a complete fake,” she said, adding: “I don’t buy it and it doesn’t impress me.
“In my opinion,” she continued, “the path to a solution is the annexation of the northern Strip and, of course, full military rule over the distribution of aid at certain points inside Gaza.”
“This will lead to the choking of Hamas, with annexation leading to its surrender,” added Gotliv.
Likud lawmaker Amit Halevi told JNS on Tuesday that Hamas cannot be defeated without a full conquest of the Gaza Strip, arguing that the terror group’s infrastructure—including underground tunnels and urban combat zones—cannot be dismantled without territorial control.
“The alternative is what has been happening for more than 700 days—you hit Hamas, you hurt them, but they renew their forces and power because you don’t control the sources of their power,” said Halevi. “And the sources of their power are the land, the population, and the resources: electricity, oil, food—everything.”
Halevi welcomed reports that Netanyahu may support a renewed push to retake Gaza, though he said he could not confirm them. Responding to claims that Zamir might resist such a plan, Halevi insisted the military must follow the government’s direction.
“Of course, the chief of the IDF must obey the government,” Halevi stated. “I’ll tell you more than that: I think Zamir should be the one to put this kind of plan on the Cabinet table.
“He sees what’s been going on for 21 months in Gaza,” Halevi continued. “He needs to ask himself why we haven’t succeeded until now—why Hamas still has thousands of fighters and an infinite number of bombs—and how we have not defeated them until today.”
Halevi said the solution lies in a more aggressive and sustained military campaign.
“The answer is very clear: it’s an effective siege and control of areas in northern, central, and southern Gaza,” he stated.
Netanyahu on Monday also spoke of plans totaling 3.2 billion shekels (approximately $938 million) for rebuilding and developing Israel’s south.
The first plan is for the city of Ashkelon, he said, referring to his visit to the Eilat Ashkelon Pipeline Company facility on July 1. Netanyahu said then that Israel would connect the energy resources of Asia, the entire Middle East and the Arabian Peninsula.
“We are going to increase and strengthen Israel’s energy capability. We have a very considerable capability,” he said at the time. “Expected revenues from gas in the coming decade will be almost NIS 300 billion.”
Netanyahu referred to other plans, including for Ofakim, Netivot, Eshkol, Sha’ar Hanegev and the Sdot Negev regional council areas. The plans include industrial zones, research centers and the first Paralympic village in Israel.
