JERUSALEM/ISTANBUL 

The Israeli army has warned that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s reported plan to fully reoccupy the Gaza Strip could result in the deaths of all Israeli captives and significant military losses, according to a report published Thursday by Maariv daily.

‏Choosing to remain anonymous, security officials told the newspaper the military establishment is increasingly alarmed by Netanyahu’s push for a full-scale ground offensive in the roughly 20% of Gaza still outside Israeli control.

‏According to the report, Netanyahu is advancing the plan under pressure from far-right ministers, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, and Settlements Minister Orit Strock. The army, by contrast, is reportedly advocating for a more restrained approach centered on encirclement and targeted raids.

‏Military estimates suggest that a large-scale operation could lead to the deaths of all remaining captives in Gaza — currently estimated at around 50, with approximately 20 believed to be alive — either at the hands of their captors or as a result of Israeli fire, the report said.

‏According to Maariv, the army also fears “dozens of soldiers” could be killed and “hundreds” injured in such a campaign, warning that the operation would involve densely populated areas laced with booby traps and mines.

‏Army Chief Eyal Zamir has reportedly voiced strong objections to Netanyahu’s plan, calling it a “strategic trap” that could deplete the military’s capabilities and destabilize Israel for years. He is expected to present the army’s assessment at a high-level Cabinet meeting later Thursday.

‏While Netanyahu argues that reoccupying Gaza would “decisively defeat” Hamas, the military reportedly believes the plan lacks a viable post-war strategy and could force Israel into establishing a long-term military administration to govern the enclave’s 2.5 million residents, a move with significant legal and logistical implications under international law.

‏The report also said the government would likely need to mobilize tens of thousands of reservists and redeploy active-duty units to sustain the operation and manage the territory.

‏Opposition to Netanyahu’s proposal is reportedly mounting within both political and military circles. On Wednesday, Army Chief Zamir again expressed his objections, warning that the plan would endanger the lives of captives and stretch the army to its limits.

Israel has been facing mounting outrage over its destructive war on Gaza, where more than 61,100 people have been killed since October 2023.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.