The cabinet decision, made overnight Thursday to Friday, was a compromise formula reached after consultations between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Shas leader Aryeh Deri, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, Military Secretary Maj. Gen. Roman Gofman, National Security Council head Tzachi Hanegbi and Defense Minister Israel Katz.
The talks included one-on-one meetings between the key officials, along with an understanding that a cabinet decision directly contradicting the chief of staff's position would face significant public and practical obstacles in implementation. The IDF chief made clear that beyond his principled opposition to a full military takeover of the Gaza Strip, a move he believes would severely endanger the hostages and run counter to the war's stated objectives, as the army needs a genuine reset and complex tactical and operational preparations.
The issue of reserve force attrition was presented to Netanyahu with hard data that was difficult to ignore, along with concerns about fighting in the sweltering Gaza summer. In parallel, diplomatic discussions with the US underscored that while Washington fully accepts that Hamas is responsible for the failure of negotiations so far, and fully supports its disarmament and removal from Gaza, it strongly prefers that diplomatic avenues be exhausted.
On the other side, some security officials argued that renewed military pressure, proven effective in the past, could force Hamas into a deal. The compromise reached was to adopt the principle of seizing control of Gaza but to delay it by two months, both to allow for better military readiness and to give diplomatic efforts more time.
In practice, this means that for at least the next two months, the IDF will follow Chief of Staff Zamir's proposal to maintain military pressure from the current lines, with limited advances in Gaza City's Zeitoun neighborhood and along the Netzarim Corridor.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, met in Doha with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani to discuss the possibility of a deal to end the Gaza war. Their talks addressed the deepest disputes between Israel and Hamas, including Hamas' refusal to disarm, Israel's demand to retain security lines in a buffer zone and along the Philadelphi Corridor, and Hamas' demand for the release of terrorists involved in the Oct. 7 massacre.
The cabinet's decision to take over Gaza has already accelerated mediation efforts. Mediators are now pushing for a deal that would fully end the war, secure the rapid release of all hostages, demilitarize the Strip, and see the IDF withdraw to new security lines.
Israel's threat has also prompted sharp reactions in both the Arab world and the West, with mediators warning Hamas in recent days that the full destruction of Gaza and the population's ongoing suffering would forever rest squarely on Hamas and its leaders. The messages also warned that none of Hamas' leaders would find refuge in countries involved in the mediation, as Israel would hunt them down.
