Israel is divided between ending the war on Gaza and Defence Needs.

By Elijah J. Magnier:

The Israeli government is grappling with a complex political landscape highlighted by significant issues: The war on Gaza, the looming threat of a potential war on Lebanon and the shortage of army recruits. Domestically, the main pressing issues are the extension of the retirement age for reservists in the Israeli army and the advancement of a bill to lower the age of exemption from military service for Haredi yeshiva students. These measures have sparked considerable controversy, revealing deep-seated tensions within Israeli society and its political leadership. They also inhibit Israel from launching a new war against Lebanon or even continuing the war against Gaza. However, they indicate that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu intends to reduce the military activity of his forces in Gaza and move to a stage where he can carry out raids based on intelligence information. The various battles in different parts of the Gaza Strip seem to be entering a new phase, as the destruction of the Strip and the massive killing of civilians have caused Israel to lose its momentum and fail to achieve any objective. Indeed, Israel’s Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi suggested that the political leadership declare victory and end the war or lose their tactical achievements.

Netanyahu’s war has earned Israel the status of “terrorism,” as declared by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, prompting the prime minister to respond that “the UN has put itself on the blacklist of history.” Israel has rightly deserved this title, as the Israeli Occupation Forces have killed 15,517 children in Gaza, according to the Ministry of Health. Around 8,000 of these deaths have been verified by the UN. Many are still missing. Approximately 17,000 children have lost at least one parent; 3,000 have lost at least one limb. According to UNICEF, nine out of ten children in Gaza suffer from ‘acute malnutrition.’ The World Health Organization has found that four out of five children go without food at least one day in three. In January, the international charity Save the Children found that ten children were losing at least one limb every day, and media videos showed a boy asking his mother if his arm would grow back. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinian homes and proprieties need to be rebuilt and await the end of the war and generous rich-state donors.

Even if foreign donors are generous towards the Palestinians and tens of billions of dollars are ready on the table, Gaza needs between 10 to 20 years to reconstruct what Israel has destroyed in almost nine months. The time required is conditioned to Israel’s permission to allow enough construction material into the Strip. Israel has several thousand construction materials on its “Gaza black list of double usage,” claiming that the Palestinian resistance could use components to manufacture its rockets.

Despite all the destruction and the killing of Palestinians that has exceeded 38,000 people, mostly civilians, with thousands under the rubble, Netanyahu is accused of conducting a personal war to retain his position in power. Israel’s military spokesperson, Admiral Daniel Hagari, admitted that the recovery of the captives “won’t be achieved by military means,” suggesting that Netanyahu’s set objectives are unachievable.