IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir reportedly told National Security Cabinet members to give up on fantasies of conquering Gaza due to lack of combat soldiers and reliance solely on IDF soldiers. While some sources deny the comments, a third source confirms their veracity. Members of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee link the report to the government's failure to increase enlistment numbers from the ultra-Orthodox populace, stating that a larger army is necessary to defeat all enemies. They emphasize the enlistment of ultra-Orthodox Jews as a necessity for a strong and secure Israel.