Netanyahu's Gains from Gaza: A Political Perspective

In a surprising twist, the recent killing of a key Hamas leader, Yahya Sinwar, seems to be a boon for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Despite the pressure he might be feeling, Netanyahu appeared unfazed. Speaking on Friday, he remarked, “The battle isn’t over yet, ” and added, “We have a chance to stop the axis of evil and create a new future. ” This was a clear reference to Iran and its allies in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. In the weeks leading up to Sinwar’s death, international pressure had been mounting on Israel to ease the suffering in Gaza. Just this week, Netanyahu's defense and internal security ministers received a stern warning from the U. S. government. The U. S. threatened to review military aid if Israel continued to block essential supplies from entering the Gaza Strip. Upon landing in Berlin, President Joe Biden echoed the sentiments of many global leaders, praising the killing of Sinwar. However, he also called for an end to the fighting in Gaza, where health officials report over 42, 000 deaths. “It’s time to move on and work towards a cease-fire in Gaza, ” Biden said. For Netanyahu, this could be a tricky situation at home. He leads a fragile coalition of some of Israel’s most hawkish lawmakers. Any steps to pause or stop operations in Gaza could spark disagreements within his Cabinet, risking a government collapse and new elections. His Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, made this clear, stating, “The only deal is the complete surrender of Hamas, the release of all hostages, and the exile of terrorists. Until then, we’ll increase military pressure. ” Before Hamas' attack, Netanyahu was struggling to keep his coalition united while facing massive protests against his leadership.