Israeli Security Officials Warn Against Gaza Multinational Force Plan Amid Cabinet Dispute

Two key documents concerning the future of the Gaza Strip sparked a tense debate during the Israeli cabinet meeting yesterday. One document proposed deploying a multinational force in Gaza, while the other outlined a roadmap from disarmament to establishing a Palestinian state. Senior security officials warned of serious risks, while several ministers demanded Prime Minister Netanyahu publicly reject the plan.

Ophir Mizrahi-Rosen, head of the IDF Intelligence Directorate's research division, cautioned that although Hamas agreed to a 15-point document, it has not abandoned its goal of Israel's destruction and is attempting to shift responsibility onto Israel. He also warned against internationalizing the conflict by involving foreign forces and incorporating Qatar and Turkey into the multinational mechanism. Shin Bet chief David Zini described Hamas's signing event as a strategic deception aimed at buying time and preventing Israeli operations in Gaza until after elections.

National Security Council head Shmuel Ben-Azra reported that Israel had submitted amendments to the documents. Netanyahu noted the documents conflicted with understandings reached with the US in November 2025 and confirmed Israel had proposed corrections. However, ministers Ze'ev Elkin, Bezalel Smotrich, Orit Strook, and Avi Dichter insisted on issuing an official statement rejecting the plan. Smotrich emphasized the need to delegitimize the official document.

The meeting ended with a confrontation between Netanyahu and Itamar Ben-Gvir. Ben-Gvir demanded daily targeted killings in Gaza, calling it a strategic necessity, while Netanyahu responded that no tactical actions would occur in the next 90 days. Ben-Gvir countered that he had been calling for such operations weekly for four years, not just before elections.