Ex-General Warned Netanyahu of Catastrophic Ground Invasion Losses

Former Brigadier General Ofir Winter met secretly with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shortly after the October 7th Hamas attacks, urging him to consider a siege of the Gaza Strip instead of a ground invasion. Winter presented dire scenarios to Netanyahu and other senior military officials, warning of "15,000 killed soldiers" and "thousands of soldiers kidnapped" if a ground operation proceeded without proper preparation.

Winter, who was a brigadier general at the time but without a formal role, reportedly told Netanyahu that the army was not prepared for such a maneuver, predicting that "tall buildings will collapse on platoons" and that the invasion would result in a "national disaster." These warnings were allegedly delivered in a safe house without his commanders' approval.

According to former senior officials, Winter's dire predictions created "demoralization" in the early weeks of the war and may have contributed to Netanyahu's hesitation regarding the ground offensive. One former senior official claimed Winter was brought to Netanyahu alongside other figures, including retired Major General Yitzhak Brick, who also opposed the military's plan, in an effort to undermine then-Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi's position.

Winter's opposition to the ground plan was reportedly linked to his stalled career advancement within the IDF. He later clarified that his objection was not to a ground maneuver in principle, but to a "blind" invasion without adequate planning. A statement from Winter's representatives denied he claimed 15,000 would be killed or that the IDF couldn't win, stating his proposal was for a "powerful, short, and smart war leading to decision and victory, not a three-year campaign without a decision."