As the ninth day of Israel’s renewed aggression on the Gaza Strip begins, events are escalating on several fronts, starting with the continued Israeli airstrikes, moving through messages from the prisoners of the Israeli entity broadcasted by the Al-Qassam Brigades, and culminating in the growing political crisis within the Israeli entity. In the West Bank, Israeli violations continue as well, raising many questions about the implications of these developments on the future of the Palestinian cause and the region.
اضافة اعلان
Yesterday, the Al-Qassam Brigades released a new video clip of Israeli prisoners, in which they appeal to their fellow prisoners released in the first stage of the prisoner exchange agreement to break the silence and speak about the situation of prisoners held in Gaza. This video is part of Hamas' media strategy to exert psychological pressure, especially in light of growing internal protests calling for the release of prisoners at any cost.
However, statements from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who described the video as a "psychological war" and vowed to destroy Hamas, reflect the embarrassment his government faces in front of the families of prisoners, who have now become a political pressure card that could impact his future in power. The problem Netanyahu faces today is that he wants to appear strong on one hand, while on the other hand, he faces growing demands from the public to solve the prisoner issue by any means, including negotiation, which the Al-Qassam Brigades are attempting to exploit by broadcasting these videos.
On the other hand, alongside the media war, we saw how the Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad Movement, launched a new missile strike on the Gaza envelope settlements. Although the Israeli army announced that it had intercepted the missiles, the attacks confirm that Palestinian resistance still maintains its ability to take the initiative and respond, despite the heavy bombardment by the Israeli military and attempts to destroy its military capabilities.
The most significant aspect of this situation is that Netanyahu faces political challenges that may be more complicated than the military challenges in Gaza, especially with the escalating internal divisions within the security and political institutions. Ehud Olmert warned of a civil war within the Israeli entity, reflecting the increasing rift between political forces, particularly amid rising disagreements over Netanyahu's government’s handling of the war. This reveals the disintegration of the Israeli occupation’s institutions and the power struggles within its security apparatus, which is a rare occurrence in the entity.
As for my perspective on where things are heading, I believe the current scene is moving toward further complexity. Military confrontations are intensifying, and political crises in Israel are worsening, while Israeli violations in the West Bank continue to escalate. On the military front, the occupation does not appear capable of achieving a "decisive victory," as Palestinian resistance continues to prove its ability to deter and confront. Politically, Netanyahu’s government appears weak internally, facing internal protests and divisions between the institutions of the Israeli entity. All these factors make it difficult to predict a quick end to this escalation, as the coming period seems likely to witness further military and political tensions, with no diplomatic solution in sight.
