Israeli Leadership Clash Over Gaza Ceasefire: Heated Dispute Exposes Deep Divisions
A fierce dispute erupts between top Israeli officials over Gaza war strategy, revealing a crisis of trust within Netanyahu's government.
Watan-Israeli Channel 13 reported that a dispute escalated into an exchange of insults between senior officials during a meeting attended by security chiefs and ministers at the Prime Minister’s Office.
The channel spoke of a “crisis of trust” between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the head of the Shin Bet (Israel’s internal security agency) Ronen Bar, and the military’s hostage affairs coordinator Nitzan Alon, noting that the disagreement turned into a heated exchange of insults during the government meeting.
According to the report, the Shin Bet chief stated that the best option was to move to the second phase of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, emphasizing that Israel could easily return to war afterward.
Israeli Officials Clash Over Gaza War Strategy
The channel quoted Ronen Bar as saying, “We are misleading the public, creating the illusion that we can stop the war and then resume it because Trump will give us the green light.”
In response, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer—Netanyahu’s closest political advisor—said, “We will not allow Hamas to remain in power for a single day, and we cannot coexist with this situation.”
The channel also reported that Nitzan Alon, the military’s hostage affairs coordinator, stressed the need to discuss Hamas’ demands and present it with a political horizon.
Alon stated, “If we claim that there is nothing to negotiate, then the hostages will not be freed.”
Meanwhile, Israel’s public broadcaster cited unnamed sources described as well-informed, reporting that Israel intends to implement an escalation plan against Gaza within a week. The plan includes cutting electricity, carrying out assassinations, forcibly displacing Palestinians from northern Gaza to the south, and resuming the fighting.
Israel Plans Escalation as Ceasefire Deal Breaks Down
The broadcaster described the plan as an unprecedented escalation compared to past weeks and months.
Similarly, Israel Hayom newspaper reported that the upcoming steps in Israel’s plan for Gaza include cutting water and electricity, in addition to targeted assassinations, aimed at pressuring Hamas into accepting the new U.S. proposal.
At midnight between Saturday and Sunday, a 42-day-long initial phase of a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement between Hamas and Israel came to an end. The deal, brokered by Egypt and Qatar with U.S. support, was initially planned to include three phases.
Netanyahu violated the agreement by refusing to begin negotiations for the second phase, aiming to secure the release of more Israeli captives while evading commitments—particularly ending the war of extermination and withdrawing from Gaza.
