Revealing Details of the Cabinet Session on the Plan to Occupy Gaza City

SadaNews - Israeli Channel 13 revealed this evening, Monday, September 1, 2025, details of the session of the mini-cabinet for political and security affairs (the "Cabinet") regarding the plan to occupy Gaza City.

According to the channel, the head of the Mossad, David Barnea, expressed during the Cabinet session, which was marked by sharp tensions, his support for a partial deal to release Israeli prisoners held in the Gaza Strip.

The channel reported that Zamir told the ministers of the cabinet in Netanyahu's government during the session: "Now is the right time to move towards a partial deal; we must not lose momentum," a position consistent with what was expressed by both the army and the Shin Bet.

According to the channel, all security agency leaders, including the Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, and the Acting Head of the Shin Bet, supported this approach during the meeting.

Zamir said to the ministers: "Think carefully about the decisions; there is a deal on the table."

However, Netanyahu categorically rejected this course, emphasizing that "there is no partial deal on the table; I have support from U.S. President Donald Trump on this matter."

During the heated discussion, where voices were raised, Zamir directed direct criticism at the ministers, saying: "You are the cabinet of October 7. Now you remember that you want to decisively deal with Hamas? Where were you on the 7th, 8th, and 9th of October 2023?"

He added: "When I took office, Gaza had not been decisively handled; today, 70% of Gaza is resolved."

According to the estimates presented by the security agencies to the Cabinet, "occupying and clearing Gaza City will take about a whole year and cost the lives of 100 soldiers," while the army warned that this step "will endanger the lives of the prisoners and will not achieve a final resolution against Hamas, which requires a complete occupation of the strip and the imposition of military rule."

Channel 13 also noted an attack launched by ministers on Zamir; for its part, the Public Broadcasting Corporation (Kan 11) reported that Zamir insisted on telling the ministers: "I will present the repercussions, and you decide, but I will continue to present the implications of every decision."

Security sources expressed their astonishment at the criticisms directed within the session, asking: "How can the Chief of Staff be described as hesitant while leading operations on seven fronts?" Meanwhile, the army spokesman limited himself to saying that "he does not comment on what is said in closed sessions."

Channel i24NEWS reported that the Prime Minister told the heads of security agencies: "I hear your positions, but in the end, I am the one who decides, and you must adhere to this decision." Zamir responded by saying: "What the cabinet decides will be implemented by the army with high efficiency."

According to the same channel, cabinet ministers left with the impression that the Prime Minister "will not move towards a partial deal at this stage," while some said that "the Prime Minister explained better than anyone else why we should not pursue a deal of this kind."

Reports confirmed that the cabinet session lasted for many hours, featuring direct verbal confrontations between the ministers and the military leadership, before a decision was made to proceed with the plan to occupy Gaza City instead of approving a partial deal.

A broad discussion is scheduled for later this week to follow up on the military plan to occupy Gaza City and escalate the war on the strip. Meanwhile, about 60,000 reservists are set to join military service on Tuesday after receiving their call-up orders.