Special to WorldTribune.com

TEL AVIV — Israel’s military has become increasingly uneasy over the war with the Gaza Strip.

Military sources said the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has failed to determine the goal of Israel’s war with Hamas and its Palestinian militias. They said the military was coming under strain by sustained Palestinian rocket strikes on the Jewish state.

“Right now, nobody wants to make a decision, and the enemy knows this,” a source said.

The sources said the military’s General Staff has been skeptical over the government’s ability to manage the latest war with Hamas. They pointed to statements by Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz that the military was ready to follow orders. Gantz was said to be consulting with Netanyahu and Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon on a daily basis.

“When you hear a chief of staff say that the military is ready to follow the orders of the government, it means that their views have been ignored,” the source said.

The sources said the military has urged Netanyahu to approve ground operations that would end Hamas rocket strikes into central Israel. They said Israel’s failure to halt the medium- and long-range attacks has emboldened Hamas and its allies while reducing morale in the military.

“The rocket fire is insufferable, but given the current situation, nothing will be resolved,” a senior official said.

In remarks to Israel’s Ynet news website, the senior official acknowledged that Netanyahu has failed to define the goals of the current war. The official, believed close to Ya’alon, said the military was capable of rapidly capturing the Gaza Strip, which encompasses 360 square kilometers.

“If they decide to seize Gaza, we will seize it,” the official said.

“But, as of now, there has been no such decision.”

The sources said Netanyahu’s agreement to an Egyptian-arranged ceasefire persuaded Hamas that Israel could not sustain the war. They said Hamas would gain a major victory if allowed to keep its weapons arsenal. On July 17, the military said it captured 13 Palestinians attackers who infiltrated via tunnel from the Gaza Strip.

“This war has allowed Hamas to test new weapons and make modifications for the next round,” the source said. “For Hamas, it has been virtually a cost-free campaign.”

  Benjamin Netanyahu, Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz, Moshe Ya’alon, Paralysis in Tel Aviv: ‘Nobody wants to make a decision and the enemy knows this’