Netanyahu May Face a Choice Between a Truce and His Government’s Survival
Netanyahu May Face a Choice Between a Truce and His Government’s Survival
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing a difficult choice: whether to accept a ceasefire with Hamas or risk the collapse of his government.
The Israeli military said on Sunday that it had killed the commander of Hamas’s military wing, Mohammed Deif, in an airstrike on a car in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli military said it had targeted Deif in response to a rocket fired from Gaza that hit a house in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon, killing a 4-year-old boy and his 16-year-old sister.
The killing of Deif, who has been a key figure in Hamas’s military operations against Israel, is likely to escalate the conflict between the two sides. Hamas has vowed to avenge Deif’s death and has threatened to launch a new wave of rocket attacks on Israel.
Netanyahu has been under pressure to end the conflict, which has killed more than 2,000 Palestinians, including hundreds of civilians, and 66 Israelis, including three civilians. The United Nations and other international organizations have called for a ceasefire, and the United States has urged both sides to de-escalate the conflict.
However, Netanyahu’s government is divided over whether to accept a ceasefire. Some members of his coalition, including the ultra-nationalist Jewish Home party, have called for a more aggressive response to Hamas’s rocket attacks.
Netanyahu may face a difficult choice between accepting a ceasefire and risking the collapse of his government. If he accepts a ceasefire, he may face criticism from his hardline supporters and could lose the support of his coalition partners. If he continues the military operation, he risks further escalation of the conflict and potential international condemnation.
Netanyahu has said that he is committed to achieving a lasting peace with the Palestinians, but he has also said that Israel has the right to defend itself against rocket attacks from Gaza. He has accused Hamas of using civilians as human shields and of storing weapons in schools and hospitals.