Last week, President Biden called on Israel and Hamas to accept a permanent ceasefire deal. Nine days later, however, a deal appears elusive. On Saturday, Israel rescued four hostages in an operation in central Gaza, engaging in heavy bombardment that Gaza hospital officials say killed more than 270 Palestinians. Meanwhile, Netanyahu is struggling to hold his coalition government together amidst discontent around his handling of the war.
Prime Minister Netanyahu seems to be pursuing a sequential approach, focusing on degrading Hamas militarily before considering the future of Gaza and the West Bank. Despite President Biden's proposal for a ceasefire deal, Netanyahu appears hesitant to pivot towards post-war alternatives to Hamas ruling Gaza due to domestic political concerns and the potential collapse of his government.
