Tel aviv: Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir was denied entry to Defense Minister Israel Katz's office on Monday night, despite a scheduled meeting between the two, local media reported on Tuesday. Public broadcaster KAN cited military sources stating that Zamir arrived for the pre-arranged meeting, only to be informed that Katz was unavailable.

According to Anadolu Agency, the defense minister's office claimed that Zamir's team had been notified in advance of Katz's unavailability, yet Zamir proceeded to attend the meeting. Despite the defense minister's office refusing to approve military appointments discussed by Zamir on Monday night, the army later published the list of newly appointed major generals.

Tensions have intensified between Zamir and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over a plan to fully reoccupy the Gaza Strip. Zamir has reportedly informed senior officers and external officials that Netanyahu's family and aides are seeking his dismissal, as reported by The Times of Israel. During recent consultations with the General Staff and external figures, including former chief of staff Gabi Ashkenazi, Zamir expressed that the prime minister's family had targeted him due to his opposition to the Gaza reoccupation plan.

Israel is currently facing severe criticism for its military actions in Gaza, which have resulted in nearly 61,600 casualties since October 2023. The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Additionally, Israel is confronting a genocide case at the International Court of Justice regarding its actions in the enclave.