A new book reveals how Israel’s top officials—political rivals with deep mutual distrust—navigated an unprecedented crisis during three years of war against Hamas and Iran.
“In the War Room: The Inside Story of Israel’s Fight Against Hamas and the Iranian Axis,” by Yonah Jeremy Bob and Elliot Kaufman, provides a detailed reconstruction of critical decision points in the conflict that began with Hamas’s October 7 invasion.
The authors note that the war cabinet included Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister; Yoav Gallant, his defense minister and Likud party member who had publicly broken ranks over judicial reforms; Benny Gantz, a former general and IDF chief of staff who joined the government for national unity; Gadi Eisenkot, Gantz’s political rival and now Netanyahu’s main opponent in the October election; and Herzi Halevi, Israel’s IDF chief of staff appointed by a previous government.
The book highlights strategic disagreements within the leadership. Gallant advocated for an immediate strike against Hezbollah in Lebanon to neutralize its missile arsenal, while Netanyahu prioritized dealing with Hamas and hostages. Later, Netanyahu became more determined to pursue operations in Gaza despite initial caution from his generals, while Gantz grew increasingly hesitant about the Rafah campaign.
The authors also detail U.S. efforts to restrain Israeli military actions, including opposition to an attack on Rafah and threats to halt weapons deliveries after U.S. estimates of high civilian casualties.