When Israel’s security cabinet ministers voted early Friday to approve a risky plan to take control of a war-torn Gaza City, objections flowed in from key international allies.

But criticism had also notably come from the highest levels of Israel’s own military — the same military that is expected to carry out the cabinet directive.

Earlier this week, the military’s chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, objected to expanding the war in Gaza, according to four Israeli security officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive issues. General Zamir raised questions about the exhaustion and fitness of reservists after a grinding, nearly two-year war in the enclave.

The Israeli military leadership has said that it prefers a new cease-fire instead of renewed fighting, according to three of the officials. Now one of the last commanders of Israeli forces in Gaza before Israel withdrew troops from the territory in 2005 is throwing cold water on the plan to widen operations in Gaza.

“This won’t bring back the hostages and it won’t lead to the defeat of Hamas or make it give up its weapons,” Gadi Shamni, a retired major general of the Israel Defense Forces, said in a telephone interview on Friday.

“What will this do?” he added. “It will create more bereaved families, it will harm Israel’s standing in the world, it will undermine the economy, and it will deepen the crisis of trust between the government and the military.”