Netanyahu criticises army chief for opposing Gaza evacuation plan to Rafah

Israeli TV Channel 12 reported on Monday that Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir opposes the plan to evacuate Gaza residents to a “humanitarian city” in Rafah, stating that it “does not correspond with the objectives of the war.”

The plan, which aims to gather hundreds of thousands of Palestinian civilians in southern Gaza under Israeli control, is being promoted by the Prime Minister and several senior ministers. However, it is facing strong opposition from the military leadership.

During a recent security discussion with political officials, Zamir voiced his strong objection to the proposal, saying: “This is an unworkable plan. It has more holes in it than cheese.”

According to political sources, the plan is intended to serve two main purposes: to centralise and care for Gaza’s civilian population under supervision and keep them away from combat zones, while also facilitating a possible prisoner swap or weakening Hamas’s public support. Yet, some within the security establishment disagree with this view.

During the meeting, Zamir made it clear that he firmly opposes the idea. He explained, “This is an unworkable plan. It has more holes in it than cheese.” He went on to say, “There are countless problems with this plan,” adding that he is “not convinced that it actually corresponds with the goals of the war.”

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