Army Radio reports that all strikes in the Gaza Strip now require approval from IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir, replacing the previous practice of division-commander sign-off. The shift centralizes decision-making and is cited as a factor in a recent drop in operations, along with fewer available targets since October 7. The IDF has also confirmed several high-profile militant killings in recent weeks across multiple armed groups.
All Gaza Strikes Now Require Approval From IDF Chief Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir As Military Tightens Rules
Illustrative: Black smoke rises at night after a residential block was targeted west of the Nuseirat Refugee Camp in the central Gaza Strip on July 15, 2026. (photo credit: Ahmed Younis / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images)
Army Radio reported Tuesday, citing security sources, that all Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip will now require approval from IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir. The change formalizes a tightening of the military’s attack policy and centralizes final authorization at the highest military level.
Until now, many strikes only required sign-off from a division commander. The new requirement is being credited with contributing to a recent reduction in operations, alongside a broader decline in identifiable targets since the October 7 attacks. Army Radio said there had been no strikes in Gaza in the previous 48 hours except for a single attack early on Monday.
IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir attends a ceremony marking the 50th anniversary of Operation Entebbe at the President's Residence in Jerusalem, July 12, 2026. (credit: CHAIM GOLDBERG/FLASH90)
IDF Spokesperson’s Unit: "Any escalation of the campaign in Gaza is a decision for the political echelon."
Recent Confirmed Strikes
The IDF has reported several recent strikes that it says killed senior militants from multiple armed groups. The military named the following individuals as having been killed in recent operations:
- Mahmoud Fatair — Identified by the IDF as a Palestinian Islamic Jihad Central Gaza Brigade commander killed in the Deir el-Balah area. The army said he participated in the October 7 attacks and was involved in holding hostage Rom Braslavski.
- Alaa Imad Khamis Tarams — Described as an operative of Jaish al-Islam (Army of Islam), killed in Gaza City last week.
- Ahmad Khudar — Named by the IDF as a Hamas Jabalya Battalion commander killed the prior week.
- Salem Jamal Abd al-Rahman Abu Labad — Reported as a Hamas Nukhba commander killed in southern Gaza; the IDF said he took part in the October 7 attacks.
- Muhammad Abd al-Nasser Muhammad Khatib — Identified as a Hamas Maghazi Battalion commander and confirmed killed on Friday.
Military officials say the revised approval process aims to ensure higher-level oversight for operations that could escalate tensions or increase the risk of civilian harm. The IDF has emphasized that any broader escalation would be directed by the political echelon. Shoshana Baker contributed to this report.
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