‘As one fist’: After public spat, DM Katz and IDF chief discuss Gaza offensive plans, vow to cooperate until victory

After several days of public clashes, Defense Minister Israel Katz and IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir met on Thursday in person for the first time to discuss the planned large-scale offensive in the Gaza Strip, vowing to cooperate until victory over Hamas is achieved.

The security system's top leadership convened to present the outline of the plans for the operation to take over Gaza City, according to a Defense Ministry statement.

In addition to Katz and Zamir, the meeting was attended by Defense Ministry Director-General, Maj.-Gen. (res.) Amir Baram, Zamir’s deputy and the heads of the Operations, Intelligence, and Planning and Strategy Directorates, the head of the IDF's Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), and other senior officers.

“The State of Israel is determined to defeat Hamas in Gaza, to free all the hostages, and to bring the war to an end,” Katz stated after the meeting.

“The IDF is mobilizing all its forces and preparing with great intensity to carry out the Cabinet’s decision. We will act as one fist until the mission is complete.”

The Israeli military presented the political echelon with the “main framework” of the operational plan, before a full operational plan is formulated and set to be approved at the beginning of next week.

According to Israeli media reports, the operation is not expected to start before September, as the IDF plans to evacuate almost 1 million civilians from Gaza City before entering in force.

Once this is accomplished, IDF troops will encircle the city and isolate it from the central refugee camp area and the al-Mawasi humanitarian zone by reconstructing the Netzarim Corridor.

Only then, according to the plans, will the IDF begin an intensive operation inside Gaza City, accompanied by extensive Air Force strikes.

IDF chief Zamir appeared to confirm that he and the defense minister will continue to cooperate, despite the personal misgivings and differences of opinion that were displayed in public over the past weeks.

Speaking at a command change ceremony on Thursday, Zamir noted, “In every era, but especially in times of war, the relationship between the political echelon and the military echelon is a central pillar of national security.”

“Mutual trust and full cooperation are the key to success,” he said, emphasizing, “Victory on the battlefield depends not only on military strength but also on inter-echelon cohesion.”

“Only in this way can we ensure decisive victory – and also the resilience of the state on the day after,” said Zamir.

The general promised that despite his warnings, “The offensive operation in the [Gaza] Strip will bring about the collapse of Hamas’s military and governing capabilities.”

“The campaign will end when we have secured our safety and our future,” he vowed.