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Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has launched a scathing critique of his country's ongoing military actions in Gaza, saying that Israel is "committing war crimes" and is embroiled in a "war without purpose."

In a sharply worded opinion piece published by Haaretz, Olmert accused the current Israeli government of orchestrating a military campaign with no clear objectives or "clear planning," despite "no chances of success". He said that "thousands of innocent Palestinians are being killed, as well as many Israeli soldiers".

According to a report by the Guardian, Olmert, who led the Israeli government from 2006 to 2009 and was once a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party, wrote: "Never since its establishment has the state of Israel waged such a war … The criminal gang headed by (Prime Minister) Benjamin Netanyahu has set a precedent without equal in Israel’s history in this area, too".

He further condemned the high civilian death toll in Gaza, stating that the number of "pointless victims among the Palestinian population" had reached "monstrous proportions."

Gaza Conflict Now A 'Private Political War'

Olmert argued that the military operations being carried out in Gaza bear no connection to “legitimate war goals” and have instead turned into what he described as a “private political war.” The campaign, he asserted, has turned Gaza into a “humanitarian disaster area,” the report said.

Although Olmert said he had previously defended Israel against accusations of war crimes, he admitted those justifications no longer hold. "What we are doing in Gaza now is a war of devastation: Indiscriminate, limitless, cruel and criminal killing of civilians,” he wrote. However, he asserted that "in no case did a government official give orders to hit Gazan civilians indiscriminately".

He further described the government’s approach as "knowingly, evilly, maliciously, irresponsibly dictated."

"Yes, Israel is committing war crimes," he added.

Olmert’s remarks align with recent comments by Yair Golan, a former Israeli army deputy chief of staff and prominent political figure. In an interview with public broadcaster Kan, Golan said: “A sane country does not fight against civilians, does not kill babies as a hobby, and does not give itself the aim of expelling populations.”

Olmert also reiterated his views in a BBC interview last week, stressing his belief that the conflict is "a war without a purpose — a war without a chance of achieving anything that can save the lives of the hostages."

Meanwhile, Israeli foreign minister, Gideon Sa’ar, accused Olmert and Golan of “taking an active part in a diplomatic campaign, in a propaganda war and in legal warfare against the state of Israel and the IDF”.

Israel's Education minister, Yoav Kisch, also stated that Olmert and Golan had joined a “radical leftist chorus defaming Israel in the international arena”.