FIRST ON FOX: Israel's top military chief, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, is opposing a full military takeover of Gaza and urging adoption of the Witkoff plan, three senior sources told Fox News Digital amid mounting debate over the country's next steps.

"The chief of staff is standing by his professional judgment, based on the experience of this war," one former senior IDF official said. "In recent days he told the cabinet that while the IDF is prepared for a ground maneuver, the correct path is to reach a deal to save all the hostages and to enter negotiations. A maneuver now could endanger the hostages, as we saw in Tel Sultan."

RUBIO, NETANYAHU DISCUSS GLOBAL IMPACT OF CHARLIE KIRK'S DEATH, WARN OF 'DESTRUCTIVE' THREATS TO DEMOCRACY

The Tel Sultan incident in Rafah in 2024 remains a turning point in Israeli decision-making. During that operation, Hamas executed six hostages, including American-Israeli Hersh Goldberg-Polin, as Israeli forces closed in, underscoring the risks of a large-scale ground maneuver before negotiations are exhausted.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly claimed that Israel's goal "is not to occupy Gaza. Our goal is to free Gaza, free it from Hamas terrorists," arguing that seizing Gaza City is necessary because Hamas refuses to lay down arms. He has said this is the only way to secure the release of the roughly 48 hostages still held in Gaza.

But the former senior official told Fox News that military pressure has already brought Hamas back to the Witkoff framework of July 29. "The framework should be accepted, and Washington should understand the chief's position as it was presented to the cabinet. Hamas is ready to stand by those conditions now. The chief of staff opposes military rule in Gaza and believes Israel should look ahead to the day after and draw a political solution accordingly. If necessary, the IDF can continue fighting after such an agreement."

ISRAEL'S GAZA OFFENSIVE SPARKS FIERCE CLASH OVER ULTRA-ORTHODOX MILITARY DRAFT

A spokesperson from the Prime Minister's Office told Fox News Digital in response: "The Israeli cabinet decided to move forward with the operation plan presented by the chief of staff himself."

A recent Politico report quoted a source described as "close to the president's national security team," saying the Tuesday strike against Hamas's leadership in Doha may have been an intentional move to hinder negotiations. "Every time they're making progress, it seems like he [Netanyahu] bombs someone," the source said in the report.

The officials confirmed to Fox News Digital that both the IDF chief of staff and the Mossad director opposed the timing of the Qatar operation. "The plan was long in the works, but there was no reason to choose this specific timing instead of waiting to get Hamas's response in the negotiations," one said, adding that "that decision, as well as the decision to continue the Gaza operation, go against professional echelon advice."

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

A second source familiar with cabinet deliberations confirmed the chief of staff reiterated his position last Friday and again yesterday in both the Security Cabinet and the Foreign Affairs and Defense subcommittee. "He has made clear that the Witkoff plan is a good one," the source said, pointing to its terms: a 60-day Israeli withdrawal in exchange for the release of 10 live hostages and 15 bodies, with Israel free to resume fighting if Hamas violates the deal.

Israel's military chief backs Witkoff plan over Netanyahu's Gaza takeover, sources say