Netanyahu's Gaza plan is about his own political survival

South China Morning Post

a day ago

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This month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced plans for the military
takeover of Gaza , portraying it as a decisive step to eliminate Hamas, free hostages and secure Israel's future. In reality, it marks a dangerous escalation and a failure of political imagination, more likely to deepen instability than bring peace.
Israel says it already controls about 75 per cent of Gaza. It now seeks to take the rest, including refugee camps and dense civilian areas. Netanyahu's insistence on military action suggests desperation disguised as resolve.
The hostage crisis since October 7, 2023 remains a tragedy, but shifting from negotiation to all-out occupation risks killing the very hostages Israel hopes to save. Intelligence indicates that fewer than half are still alive.
On the ground, the humanitarian picture is dire: soaring civilian casualties, mounting evidence of famine and collapsing infrastructure. Human rights groups warn that Israel's tactics amount to collective punishment and violate international humanitarian law. The International Court of Justice has already cautioned Israel against actions that could amount to genocide. Yet Netanyahu's government presses ahead on a trajectory that shreds any semblance of a two-state solution.
No credible plan exists for Gaza's post-war governance. Regional powers are uneasy. Egypt and Jordan have refused to absorb refugees. Saudi Arabia has put normalisation with Israel on hold, pending progress towards Palestinian statehood.