A retired Israeli general has accused Prime Minister Netanyahu of intentionally misleading the public about the Gaza offensive for his own personal interests, Al Jazeera reports.

In an op-ed for Israel’s Maariv newspaper, General Yitzhak Brik said that despite being aware that Israel’s military cannot fully root out Hamas, Netanyahu has continued to insist on marching towards total victory so he can stay in power.

“Neither the well-being of the people nor the security of the state concerns Netanyahu, but only his personal survival at any cost,” wrote Brik.

He added: “The almost year-long conflict has caused us to lose our standing in the world. The state of Israel has become a pariah state, isolated and regarded with disdain, and even our closest friends in Europe are turning their backs on us.”