“Zamir is not sugarcoating the facts. He’s telling the leadership to abandon some of their fantasies.”
The Israeli army’s new Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, has reportedly warned the government that a shortage of soldiers could limit Tel Aviv’s war ambitions in the Gaza Strip, according to the Israeli Ynet news website.
Zamir told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his cabinet that “military-only strategies cannot fulfill all national objectives in Gaza, particularly in the absence of a complementary diplomatic track,” the report said on Monday.
“Israel’s” security cabinet should set aside unrealistic expectations regarding the war on Gaza, the Israeli military’s chief of staff, Eyal Zamir, told members of the body, according to a Ynet report published Monday.
Zamir reportedly stated that cabinet members should “give up… pic.twitter.com/bUCeWDS011
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) April 15, 2025
It said Zamir’s warning reflects “a growing disconnect between the military’s operational capacity and the government’s broader political aspirations.”
This comes as the army carries out limited ground operations “under a scaled-down plan called ‘Mini Oranim’, which includes the expansion of a buffer zone near the Gaza border.
‘Reluctance’ over Past Failures
The report quoted a senior defense official as saying that “Zamir is not sugarcoating the facts.”
“He’s telling the leadership to abandon some of their fantasies,” the official reportedly added.
Zamir’s remarks underscore the army’s “reluctance to repeat what officials describe as past failures,” it noted.
The report further pointed out that 18 months into the onslaught on Gaza, Hamas “continues to control most of the Gaza Strip” and, while rebuilding, “still has approximately 20,000 fighters” according to Israeli intelligence.
It also cites a recent speech by Zamir in which he “acknowledged that Hamas has not been defeated.”
The report noted that a full reoccupation of Gaza “could take many months, possibly years, and would require the reactivation of tens of thousands of reservists.”
Reservist Numbers
Currently, the rate of reservist participation stands “at 60% to 70%”, according to the Israeli army.
It further quoted the defense official as saying there was “concern those numbers won’t improve in the event of a broader offensive.”
“Hamas is not defeated, and the reserves forces are overstretched.’
~ Israel’s new Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir pic.twitter.com/c8Qq3IGRPm
— Khalissee (@Kahlissee) April 14, 2025
Zamir also reportedly advised the government on the army’s readiness for “potential conflict” on other fronts, including Iran and Lebanon.
No Comment – Israeli Army
Responding to the report, the Israeli army said in a statement that “We do not comment on discussions held behind closed doors.”
The army said it was “preparing for a range of developments in the war, including the potential mobilization of reservists to expand operations in Gaza. We will not disclose further details for security reasons.”
Ongoing Genocidal Assault
The renewed Israeli violence on March 18 has broken a ceasefire that began on January 19. The latest military actions have killed hundreds of Palestinians and injured many more, primarily civilians, including women and children.
While numerous countries and human rights groups have condemned the violations, the US has continued its support for Israel, asserting that the military campaign was carried out with prior knowledge and approval from Washington.
Mane’ Hannoun, a healthcare worker, was killed this morning after an Israeli airstrike hit the back gate of the Kuwait Specialized Hospital in Khan Yunis. pic.twitter.com/4LFYJisFNS
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) April 15, 2025
Since October 2023, Israel has killed over 50,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and left Gaza in ruins. Additionally, over 116,000 have been wounded, while 14,000 remain missing.
In November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in the besieged enclave.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
Al Mayadeen’s post (https://x.com/MayadeenEnglish/status/1911965794386272500): While a cabinet minister dismissed the Ynet report as “a complete fake” in comments to The Jerusalem Post, and another source similarly rejected its claims as “reckless,” a third source affirmed that Zamir’s reported remarks were “100%” said during the meeting.
Obviously, you can see the fantasists that Zamir is trying to reach.
“abandon fantasies, Zamir warns”
That would be a good piece of advice, starting from the biggest fantasie of all called “israel”.