Israel's military will have to execute any government decisions on Gaza, the defence minister said after reported disagreements over the prospect of a full occupation of the Palestinian territory.
As the war nears its 23rd month, signs of a rift over Israel's strategy have emerged with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu preparing to announce a new plan.
He claimed Israel must "complete" the defeat of Palestinian militant group Hamas in order to secure the release of hostages still held in Gaza.
The Israeli press, citing officials speaking on condition of anonymity, has predicted an escalation attacks on Gaza, including in densely populated areas where hostages are believed to be held, such as Gaza city and refugee camps.
The Israeli military demanded Palestinian people leave parts of Gaza city, in the north, and Khan Younis in the south, where a spokesman said ground troops were preparing to "expand the scope of combat operations".
Media reports in Israel have said Mr Netanyahu and his cabinet may order a full military occupation of Gaza, allegedly sparking dissension from armed forces chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir.
Mr Netanyahu held a three-hour meeting yesterday with security chiefs including Mr Zamir to discuss options for the continuation of Israel's war on Gaza, the premier's office said in a statement.
At the meeting, Mr Zamir warned that a full occupation would be like "walking into a trap", Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported.
Channel 12 television said the armed forces chief suggested alternatives to a full occupation, such as encircling specific areas where Hamas militants are believed to be hunkering down.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said in post on X, formerly Twitter, that while "it is the right and duty of the chief of staff to express his position in the appropriate forums", the military is bound by any decisions made by the government.
"Once decisions are made by the political echelon, the IDF will execute them with determination and professionalism," Mr Katz claimed.
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Trump says 'up to Israel'
Mr Netanyahu is expected to convene his security cabinet tomorrow to finalise a decision on the expansion of the offensive, Israeli media reported.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid said he told Mr Netanyahu in a meeting that "occupying Gaza is a very bad idea... operationally, morally and economically".
US President Donald Trump told reporters yesterday that he was not aware of Israeli plans to occupy all of Gaza, but said that such a decision would be "up to Israel".
The Israeli government is under growing pressure to bring the war to an end, with mounting concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and increasing alarm among Israelis about the fate of the remaining hostages.
Out of 251 hostages, 49 are still held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military claims are dead.
The UN Security Council held a special session yesterday to discuss the plight of the Israeli hostages, as the country seeks to keep the issue at the top of the global agenda.
Mr Trump yesterday described a recent video released by Hamas of emaciated Israeli hostage Evyatar David purportedly digging his own grave as "horrible".
In parallel, international criticism has surged over the suffering of the more than two million Palestinian inhabitants of Gaza after the United Nations warned that famine is unfolding in the territory.
'Dangerous roads'
On the ground, Gaza's civil defence agency said that at least 22 people were killed overnight when an aid truck overturned onto a crowd of people hoping to collect food rations.
"The truck overturned while hundreds of civilians were waiting for food aid" in central Gaza, civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP.
He said that "the truck had been forced by the Israeli army to take dangerous roads" that had been damaged in Israeli bombardments.
Officials in Gaza accused Israel of "deliberately obstructing the safe passage and distribution of the aid".
Asked by AFP, a military official claimed the army was not involved in the incident.
At the end of May, Israel claimed it eased the aid blockade it had imposed in early March.
The United Nations said the quantities of aid being allowed into Gaza by the Israelis are still insufficient.
Israel’s war has killed at least 61,158 people in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to figures from the Gaza health ministry which are considered reliable by the United Nations.
Meanwhile, the former head of Israel's National Security Council has warned that hostages held in Gaza will be put at the highest possible risk if the war there escalates.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Eran Etzion accused Mr Netanayhu's government of being oblivious to the needs and opinions of most Israelis and its clear motivation was to maintain its grip on power.
He said a complete Israeli takeover of Gaza was not within its interests and would be be costly in terms of lives and money.
Mr Etzion added that eliminating Hamas was not achievable "in the pure sense", as the group also exists in the West Bank, but said he believed it was possible to topple it as an effective ruler in Gaza.
'Beyond any moral compass'
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said that what Israel is doing in Gaza now is "beyond any moral compass".
Speaking in Derrynane, Co Kerry Mr Martin said there is a moral obligation on Israel "to stop the killing of innocent people who were queuing for food, stop the killing of children, stop the starvation".
He said he believed Daniel O'Connell would be appalled by what's happening in Gaza.
Mr Martin added that he believes opinion within Israel is strengthening against the behaviour and activities of Mr Netanyahu and his government.
"In many ways, the legacy of [Daniel] O'Connell is that we do stand up and speak for those who are suffering in Ukraine, in Gaza and in Sudan and other places of conflict.
"I believe he would have been appalled by it, the injustice that is being metered out. I believe he would’ve called for the release of hostages, for all the violence and the war to stop and for a huge distribution and surge of humanitarian aid properly in Gaza," Mr Martin said.
Additional reporting Dyane Connor
