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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is coming under increasing pressure from abroad and at home to define strategic objectives for ending the Israel-Hamas war and enabling a political settlement for the Palestinian territory.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant lashed out Wednesday in a televised address, calling on the prime minister to make "difficult decisions" on post-war Gaza, regardless of the political costs. Mr. Gallant warned Israelis that inaction would wipe out the gains made by the war and put the country's long-term security at risk.
Mr. Gallant criticized Mr. Netanyahu for the lack of plans to replace the Hamas regime in the post-war period.
"Since October, I have raised this issue continuously in the Cabinet and I have not received an answer", he said.
Mr. Gallant's comments came after White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters on Monday that Israel had not yet combined military operations with a political plan for governing Palestinian territory after the fighting ends.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated this message on Wednesday, saying that Israel needs a "clear and concrete plan" for the future of Gaza to avoid a power vacuum that would be accompanied by chaos.
Mr. Gallant has ruled out any form of Israeli governance in Gaza, saying the territory should be run by "Palestinian entities" with international support, a position long supported by President Biden's administration.
The US administration did not confirm whether it had coordinated Mr Gallant's statements with those of senior US officials.
"I will not talk about the time when the statements were made. I'm not going to analyze that," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in response to a VOA question during Thursday's press conference.
"We have expressed our position," she added, emphasizing previous talks with the Israeli government.
A senior administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity said the US administration shares Mr. Gallant's concern that Israel has not drawn up plans to hold and govern territory placed under the control of the Israel Defense Forces, paving the way for recovery. of Hamas in these areas.
Prime Minister Netanyahu is focused on destroying Hamas
Mr. Netanyahu says that planning for the post-war period is not possible without destroying Hamas first.
Although his government and Washington agree that Hamas cannot continue to rule Gaza, they have different views on who should be in charge of the territory after the war that began with the militant group's attack on Israel on October 7.
"We do not and will not support an Israeli occupation," Secretary Blinken reiterated Wednesday.
Mr. Gallant's statement reflects comments made by other Israeli officials and former officials and the frustration of a war-weary Israeli public, said Mairav Zonszein, an analyst on Israeli-Palestinian affairs at the International Crisis Group.
"It's not surprising. It's not something new," she told VOA. "But I think it's reaching a tipping point for some people in the government because the hostage agreement and the ceasefire are in a stalemate because no decisions are being made about how long this war will last."
Mr Netanyahu told reporters on Thursday that he plans to call his defense minister in for "a talk", following Mr Gallant's public criticism.
The chances of a ceasefire are fading
Meanwhile, prospects for a ceasefire deal have appeared dim since talks in Cairo broke down earlier this month.
"Any effort, or agreement, must ensure a permanent ceasefire, a comprehensive withdrawal from the entire Gaza Strip, a genuine agreement on the exchange of prisoners, the return of the displaced, reconstruction and the lifting of the blockade," the head of the Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh.
Israel has so far refused to make any commitment to end the military campaign in Gaza. So basically, the warring parties' strategic objectives are "about as far apart as possible," said Nimrod Goren, a fellow on Israeli affairs at the Middle East Institute.
The mediating countries - the United States, Egypt and Qatar - see no way forward at the moment, Mr Goren told VOA, although reaching a ceasefire agreement "becomes more urgent, not only because of Gaza, but also because of Lebanon".
Firefights between Israel and Hezbollah, another Iranian-backed group, have escalated since the start of Israel's operations in Gaza, displacing tens of thousands of people from areas along Israel's border with Lebanon.
While a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire may be out of reach at this point, there is still hope for the first part of the ceasefire agreement, which is currently structured in three phases, Mr Goren said.
This means a six-week pause in fighting, an exchange of hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, and an increase in humanitarian aid entering Gaza.
However, a long-term ceasefire has not appeared viable since the start of negotiations.
"There have simply been exclusive demands from both sides," Ms Zonszein said. "Hamas wants an end to the war and a complete withdrawal of [Israeli] forces, and Israel is not willing to do that."
Israel also wants Hamas to be completely disbanded and its leaders killed, while Mr. Haniyeh said on Wednesday that he would reject any proposal that excludes the group from the future of post-war Gaza.
The United States still wants a two-state solution
Although the odds seem slim, President Biden's administration remains focused on long-term political objectives: a two-state solution—the creation of an independent Palestinian state that coexists with Israel.
Mr Sullivan travels to Saudi Arabia this weekend for further talks on securing a broad agreement that would establish diplomatic relations between Riyadh and Tel Aviv, a key element in achieving the two-state solution.
Normalizing relations with the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a major Sunni country, is likely to bring diplomatic recognition of Israel by other Arab countries as well as Muslim-majority countries in other parts of the world.
At the same time, Mr Sullivan is expected to ask Israel not to launch a frontal ground attack on Rafah, where more than a million displaced Palestinians have taken refuge. Washington believes that a wider operation in Rafah would jeopardize the agreement to normalize relations with the Saudis.
"Israel's long-term security depends on its integration into the region and maintaining normal relations with Arab states, including Saudi Arabia," Mr Sullivan said on Monday.
He said he would meet with Israeli officials "within a few days" and signaled that the United States meanwhile expects Israel not to advance on the town of Rafah.
Last week, the Israel Defense Forces launched a "limited operation on concrete targets" in eastern Rafah, even as President Biden's administration announced it was suspending the delivery of 3,500 large-caliber projectiles out of fear that Israel could use them. those in the densely populated city. / VOA
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