Ofer Winter Denies Report of Warning Netanyahu on Gaza Casualties

Ofer Winter, chairman of the "Amcha Israel" party, has vehemently denied a Channel 12 report claiming he warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that an operation in Gaza could result in 15,000 soldier fatalities. Winter stated, "15,000 dead? An absolute lie. Instead of dealing with spins, it's worthwhile to occasionally deal with the truth." He clarified that he never said or thought such a number of soldiers would be killed.

Winter explained that his actual concerns, expressed before October 7th, were that the IDF's plans were "not good enough" and that Israel was in a war, not a limited operation. He argued that the raid-based method would not lead to victory or a swift end to the campaign. He also stated that the IDF's initial approach in the war was precisely what Hamas expected, and that a more strategic approach could lead to a quicker victory at a lower cost, presenting an opportunity for Israel similar to 1948 and 1967.

Winter further elaborated on his proposed strategy: moving the entire population south to areas with full humanitarian aid, enabling a complete separation between Hamas and civilians. This would allow for a total siege on remaining Hamas strongholds. He asserted that this approach would allow the IDF's full power to be utilized before soldiers are sent into Gaza's urban environment. He wrote this plan on October 9th and shared it in real-time, but it was not adopted. Instead, the plan of IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi was accepted.

Winter expressed his belief that his recommendation could have saved many soldiers' lives and led to a quicker resolution, contrasting it with a potential three-year war. He emphasized that this denial does not detract from the significant achievements made by Israeli soldiers and commanders, whom he salutes. He condemned the false leak as part of the old politics they aim to change with their new party, "Amcha Israel," and their entry into the Knesset.