Yedioth Ahronoth: All Israeli security chiefs rejected the plan to occupy Gaza as reserve soldiers rebelled against the decision
The Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported, Saturday, that all leaders of the Israeli security services rejected the plan to occupy Gaza during the last cabinet meeting.
According to Israeli officials, the shortage of manpower is among the main constraints facing Israel in its occupation of Gaza.
Israeli Brigadier General Amir Avivi as predicting a more gradual operation in Gaza to reduce the pressure on manpower, noting that a rapid advance would require several military divisions comprising tens of thousands of soldiers.
The Israeli government approved the occupation of Gaza City and the expansion of military operations in the Strip at dawn on Friday, during a security and political cabinet meeting that lasted approximately 10 hours.
At the conclusion of the consultations, the cabinet authorized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz to approve the army’s operational plans.
According to the Israeli government’s statement, the “five principles” that were approved are, in order, as stated in the statement, and literally:
- Disarm Hamas.
- Return all prisoners, alive and dead.
- Disarming the Gaza Strip.
- Israeli security control over the Gaza Strip.
- The existence of an alternative civilian government, other than Hamas or the Palestinian Authority.
