Israeli military warns expanded Gaza operations risk captives' lives
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The decision to expand Gaza operations comes amid internal disputes and international condemnation, notably from France.
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An Israeli soldier walks near tanks deployed at a position near the border with the Gaza Strip on May 4, 2025. (AFP)
In recent days, the Israeli occupation military has warned that expanding military operations in the Gaza Strip could endanger the lives of Israeli captives, according to a report by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.
Field scenarios
Israeli security officials outlined a possible scenario for Cabinet members, suggesting that Hamas fighters could abandon the captives during an escalation in fighting as they are forced to withdraw from combat zones, increasing the risk of the captives' death or disappearance.
Military officials also warned that expanding ground operations would make it more difficult to deliver aid to the locations where captives are being held, thereby raising the likelihood of their death or permanent disappearance.
Fears of concealing bodies, difficulties in locating captives
Israeli media also reported that the security establishment is concerned Hamas might attempt to hide the bodies of captives in pits or concealed locations that would be difficult for the Israeli military or Shin Bet to locate.
In such a scenario, security officials warned that the bodies might never be found, especially if the Hamas fighters who know the captives' locations are killed in combat.
Read more: Hamas won, Israeli army faces collapse, retired Israeli general says
Political-military dispute over war objectives
The Haaretz report highlighted a clear dispute between the political leadership, which is focused on “achieving victory”, and the military leadership, which considers the retrieval of the captives the most important goal of the operations in Gaza.
Israeli military spokesperson Brigadier General Avi Dovrin told Haaretz that the military operates under the guidance of the political leadership, emphasizing that the objective is to retrieve the captives and topple Hamas rule.
Upcoming operation: 'Gideon’s Chariots' and delayed escalation until after Trump’s visit
The newspaper quoted a senior Israeli security official as saying that the decision to expand the fighting is tied to increasing pressure on Hamas to push it toward a prisoner exchange deal. He added that the expansion would not proceed until after US President Donald Trump's visit to the region.
The official confirmed that the operation, codenamed "Gideon’s Chariots", includes a plan to displace Gaza residents and that the resumption of humanitarian aid entry would only occur after the launch of the operation.
On his part, the Israeli military's Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir warned ministers that the operation could put the lives of the captives at risk.
Despite these warnings from the military leadership, the Security Cabinet unanimously decided on Monday to expand military operations in the Gaza Strip.
Also on Monday, families of the Israeli captives held in Gaza accused the government of sacrificing the remaining captives through the newly approved military escalation plan.
France 'strongly' condemns 'Israel's' expansion of Gaza operations
In a related context, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Tuesday that Paris "very strongly" condemns "Israel's" new military campaign in Gaza.
His comments come a day after "Israel's" military said expanded operations in Gaza would include displacing "most" of its residents after the security cabinet approved a plan that an Israeli official said will entail "the conquest of the Gaza Strip and the holding of the territories."
"It's unacceptable," Barrot said in a radio interview, stressing that the Israeli government was "in violation of humanitarian law."
"Israel's" decision comes as the UN and aid organizations have repeatedly warned of the humanitarian catastrophe on the ground, with famine again looming after more than two months of a total Israeli blockade.
Nearly all of the Gaza Strip's 2.4 million people have been displaced at least once during the war.
Read more: Hamas rejects another futile Israeli proposal on Gaza war: Source
