According to Israel’s Channel 12, the Israeli army’s former head of operations, Major General Israel Ziv, has criticised the continuing military campaign and said that Israel is “stuck in Gaza and bleeding”, and describing it as a “dire quagmire”, Al Jazeera reports.

Ziv, who previously led the Gaza Division, asserted that the offensive has become a source of political stability for Netanyahu and his government.

He suggested that Netanyahu might be prolonging the fighting to maintain his political position and delay his corruption trial, which could lead to imprisonment.

Ziv added that after a year of what he called the longest and most exhausting military operation in Israel’s history, the country finds itself trapped in a continuous security crisis with no end in sight.

He noted that the situation is not improving and lacks a clear path towards resolution. He emphasised that the conflict, which Netanyahu claimed was on the verge of victory six months ago, now appears endless.