Former army chief warns ‘Israel’ faces strategic dead end

• Former army chief warns ‘Israel’ lacks an exit strategy after more than two years of war.
• Eisenkot says fighting on six fronts without clear goals risks a deep strategic crisis.

Former ‘Israeli’ army chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot issued sharp criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, warning that the ongoing war is being managed without a clear strategy for ending it.

Speaking during a closed lecture to officers at Reichman University, remarks reported by 'Israel' Hayom, Eisenkot said ‘Israel’ is standing at a “dangerous crossroads” more than two years into what it calls the “Swords of Iron” war.

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Six fronts, no horizon

Eisenkot said the continuation of fighting on six simultaneous fronts is “illogical and unsustainable”, arguing that prolonged military operations without a defined political or military horizon are pushing ‘Israel’ into a profound strategic dilemma.

He stressed that the current reality contradicts the most basic principles of military planning, noting that no clear answer exists to the most important question: how the war will end.

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“We started a war that was described as the most just since the War of Independence,” he said. “After two and a quarter years, we are in an abnormal situation, fighting on six fronts at once.”

Moral erosion inside ‘Israel’

Eisenkot also warned of what he described as a decline in moral standards within ‘Israeli’ public discourse. He cited a survey by the ‘Israeli’ Democracy Institute showing that 64 percent of respondents believe adherence to the principle of “purity of arms” weakens the army’s fighting ability.

“We must seriously ask ourselves whether the army can fight without purity of arms,” Eisenkot said. “This principle is not a burden. It is the real source of the army’s strength on the battlefield.”

Gaza objectives unmet

The former chief of staff, who served on the war cabinet at the start of the 'Israeli' aggression on Gaza, said ‘Israel’ is waging its longest and most complex war without a clear vision for victory.

He acknowledged what he described as achievements on the Iranian front but said the government has failed strategically in Gaza.

“We are happy about the return of all the captives except Ran Gvili, who must be brought back as soon as possible,” Eisenkot said. “But the supreme goal of the war, destroying Hamas’ military capabilities, has not yet been achieved.”

He added that despite massive military operations and catastrophic losses in the Gaza, eliminating Hamas has not become a reality on the ground.

Warning over next phase

Eisenkot cautioned against moving to a so-called second phase of the war under current conditions, calling it a “grave mistake” that could lead to dangerous strategic consequences.

He outlined what he described as red lines for any future arrangement, including the complete dismantling of Hamas’ military wing and the full demilitarization of Gaza. He also stressed that the entry of any Turkish force into Gaza, “under any designation”, would be unacceptable.

Growing internal rift

Eisenkot’s remarks reflect widening divisions within the ‘Israeli’ military and political establishment over the continuation of the war, particularly amid the failure to achieve the central declared objective of defeating Hamas.

Coming from one of the most prominent former security officials, the criticism highlights a growing gap between current and former leaders and raises mounting questions about the cost of the war, the limits of 'Israeli' military force, and whether ‘Israel’ can escape its current predicament without, in Eisenkot’s words, a “leap into the unknown”.