Netanyahu Criticizes Gadi Eizenkot Over Gaza War Strategy Ahead of Leadership Race

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly criticized former War Cabinet member and political rival Gadi Eizenkot in an interview on the podcast "The Mojo of Ben Ben Baruch," set to air tomorrow. Netanyahu accused Eizenkot of repeatedly pushing to halt the Gaza war prematurely, before its objectives were fully achieved, and claimed that Eizenkot influenced National Unity Party leader Benny Gantz to adopt a similar stance. Netanyahu portrayed Eizenkot as the main driver behind efforts to stop the war and Gantz as reluctantly following along.

Netanyahu recounted inviting both Gantz and Eizenkot to join his government, but said they pressured him to end the conflict quickly. He described how during the campaign, after Israeli forces captured Rafah and Philadelphi, both Gantz and Eizenkot opposed expanding military operations into Lebanon, Syria, and even striking Iran. Netanyahu insisted these positions were documented.

The prime minister argued that had he heeded their advice to stop at Khan Yunis and accept a ceasefire, Israel would not have succeeded in eliminating key terrorist leaders such as Tayseer al-Jabari, Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, Ismail Haniyeh, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, nor destroyed Hezbollah’s extensive missile arsenal. Netanyahu credited his insistence on continuing the fight with these strategic gains, framing it as a decisive factor in weakening Israel’s adversaries.