Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said yesterday that Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir had a right to ‘express his views’, but that the military would ultimately have to ‘execute’ any government decisions on Gaza.
Katz’s statement on X came after reports in the Israeli media in recent days suggested that Zamir is opposed to a government plan to occupy the Gaza Strip.
“It is the right and duty of the Chief of Staff to express his position in the appropriate forums, and after decisions are made by the political echelon, the (army) will execute them with determination and professionalism... until the war’s objectives are achieved,” Katz wrote on X.
“As the defence minister responsible for the (army) on behalf of the government, I must ensure that these decisions are carried out – and so it will be,” he added.
Chief of Staff Zamir has made no public statements on the matter but reportedly expressed his opposition to a full military occupation in a restricted meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and security chiefs on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, 20 people have been killed and more than 30 injured in central Gaza after four trucks overturned on a crowd, the Hamas-run civil defence agency says.
Crowds rushed to the vehicles on a road south-east of Deir Al Balah.
They climbed on top of the trucks, causing the drivers to lose control, local journalists said.
The area was under Israeli military control and the roads were rugged and dangerous, civil defence agency spokesman Mahmoud Basal said.
The private transport association now operating in Gaza said that 26 commercial trucks entered the territory. Six were looted, and four of those overturned, resulting in deaths and injuries.
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