IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir addressed the government's plan and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s opposition to a partial Gaza hostage deal during a cabinet meeting and stated, "You are heading toward military rule. Understand the implications."
Yossi Fuchs, the Cabinet Secretary, responded: "That's not true."
"Instead of military rule, we can encourage voluntary emigration," National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said.
After Zamr reiterated his warning, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich told him: "We have made a decision."
In the meeting, Netanyahu told the security cabinet that the US administration also opposes a partial deal. "Forget the partial deals. Go in with full force. Finish it," Netanyahu quoted US President Donald Trump as saying, adding that Israel’s window of legitimacy from the international community is limited, and that pausing for a partial deal would harm the effort to destroy Hamas.
"Our impression is that Netanyahu's opposition is genuine. He will not agree to a partial deal," ministers said.
The discussion centered on the conquest of Gaza City, with the military presenting its plans. An Israeli official previously told The Jerusalem Post that the cabinet would not discuss the question of attempting to reach a partial deal or not.