{"id":813,"date":"2026-01-23T20:47:55","date_gmt":"2026-01-23T13:47:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/al-ahwaz.com\/?p=813"},"modified":"2026-01-23T20:47:55","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T13:47:55","slug":"understanding-israel-strategy-of-delay-and-obstruction-in-gaza","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/al-ahwaz.com\/?p=813","title":{"rendered":"Understanding Israel Strategy of Delay and Obstruction in Gaza","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

After more than two years of war, Gaza<\/a><\/strong> lies in ruins. Large swathes of housing and infrastructure have been destroyed, tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed, and those who remain face winter conditions with limited access to food, medicine and shelter. Against this backdrop, Israel<\/a><\/strong> Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu<\/span><\/span><\/strong> has joined US President Donald Trump<\/span><\/span><\/strong>\u2019s<\/a> newly formed \u201cBoard of Peace\u201d, a body tasked with overseeing Gaza\u2019s reconstruction and governance.<\/p>\n

The move has intensified debate over what Israel ultimately wants for Gaza: a rebuilt territory with a new political future, or a continuation of a fractured and tightly controlled status quo.<\/p>\n

\n

Netanyahu Balances US Pressure and Domestic Politics<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Netanyahu\u2019s decision comes as he faces competing pressures at home and abroad. With Israeli elections expected later this year, analysts say he must demonstrate cooperation with Washington while preserving the support of his governing coalition.<\/p>\n

That coalition includes figures such as Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich<\/span><\/span><\/strong>, who has openly opposed both Gaza\u2019s reconstruction and the ceasefire. Smotrich and his allies, rooted in religious Zionism, view Gaza as territory they believe Jews are divinely entitled to settle.<\/p>\n

Observers say this internal tension has limited Netanyahu\u2019s room for manoeuvre \u2014 and so far, several of his objections appear to have been overridden by the United States.<\/p>\n

\n

Setbacks for Netanyahu on Ceasefire and Crossings<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Despite Israeli opposition, the transition to the second phase of Trump\u2019s three-stage ceasefire plan has moved forward, even though Hamas<\/span><\/span><\/strong> has not disarmed.<\/p>\n

In another development opposed by Netanyahu, the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt is expected to reopen in both directions next week, allowing movement in and out of the enclave. US decisions to include T\u00fcrkiye<\/span><\/span><\/strong> and Qatar<\/span><\/span><\/strong> in the Board of Peace \u2014 and potentially in an international stabilisation force \u2014 have also gone ahead despite Israeli objections.<\/p>\n

\n

Security Versus Settlement Inside Israel<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Within Israel, the debate over Gaza remains deeply polarised. Smotrich has criticised US proposals as damaging to Israeli interests and has called for the dismantling of a US base in southern Israel overseeing the ceasefire.<\/p>\n

Other lawmakers appear focused primarily on electoral positioning, analysts say, seeking to mobilise political bases rather than outline a long-term strategy.<\/p>\n

\"Understanding<\/p>\n

Netanyahu continues to insist that Hamas will ultimately be disarmed. Meanwhile, Israeli forces are expanding a buffer zone along Gaza\u2019s border, pushing Palestinians further inland \u2014 a move that officials frame as necessary for security.<\/p>\n

While Hamas has been weakened, analysts say Israel\u2019s approach also serves to project an image of control and safety to a war-weary Israeli public.<\/p>\n

\n

Public Opinion: War Fatigue and Limited Visibility<\/strong><\/h4>\n

After years of conflict, much of Israeli society appears exhausted. Pollsters say Gaza has faded from daily attention, with the humanitarian impact on Palestinians largely absent from mainstream media coverage.<\/p>\n

American-Israeli political analyst Dahlia Scheindlin<\/span><\/span><\/strong> said Israeli public opinion remains fragmented.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a small bloc that supports resettling Gaza, but most of society is divided,\u201d she said. \u201cPeople see Gaza through fear and security concerns shaped by October 2023. Many want Israel to stay involved and don\u2019t trust outside actors, even as they hope US involvement might succeed where war did not.\u201d<\/p>\n

Scheindlin added that a broad consensus still exists on one point: avoiding a return to full-scale war.<\/p>\n

\n

Critics See Absence of Strategy<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Peace activist Gershon Baskin<\/span><\/span><\/strong> described Israel\u2019s political leadership as directionless.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re in election mode and speaking only to their base,\u201d he said, recounting scenes of chaos in parliament. \u201cThere is no strategy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Baskin said Palestinians are largely invisible to much of the Israeli public. \u201cMost Israelis don\u2019t know \u2014 or don\u2019t want to know \u2014 what\u2019s happening on the other side of the border,\u201d he said, noting that images of Gaza rarely appear on national television.<\/p>\n

\n

No Consensus on Gaza\u2019s Political Future<\/strong><\/h4>\n

While Israeli leaders broadly agree that a Palestinian state will not be established, analysts say there is no shared vision for what should replace it \u2014 or how Gaza fits into Israel\u2019s long-term regional reality.<\/p>\n

Even Israel\u2019s commitment to US-backed plans remains uncertain. Netanyahu has reportedly downplayed the importance of the ceasefire\u2019s second phase in private, calling it a symbolic step rather than meaningful progress.<\/p>\n

Israeli lawmaker Ofer Cassif<\/span><\/span><\/strong> accused the government of pursuing a policy of delay.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe killing hasn\u2019t stopped \u2014 it has just changed form,\u201d Cassif said, arguing that restrictions on aid and basic services amount to deliberate government policy.<\/p>\n

\n

Short-Term Politics, Long-Term Uncertainty<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Political economist Shir Hever<\/span><\/span><\/strong> said Israeli decision-making has increasingly been driven by short-term political calculations rather than long-term planning.<\/p>\n

He cited recent military actions and diplomatic confrontations as examples of moves shaped by domestic pressures, including Netanyahu\u2019s ongoing corruption trial.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no long-term plan,\u201d Hever said. \u201cSome factions want settlement and expulsion, but in practice, everything is reactive and short-term.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Cautious Hope, Deep Skepticism<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Baskin said US pressure may represent a rare opportunity for change. \u201cFor the first time, Israel is facing a US president it can\u2019t easily say no to,\u201d he said, pointing to Washington\u2019s role in advancing the ceasefire and opening Gaza\u2019s borders.<\/p>\n

Cassif, however, remained pessimistic, questioning whether the Board of Peace would lead to meaningful change.<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe the policy is to delay and obstruct until people simply disappear from view,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s painful \u2014 not only as a human being, but as a Jew.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Gaza\u2019s future remains uncertain, analysts say Israel\u2019s actions \u2014 and inaction \u2014 will continue to shape not only the enclave\u2019s fate, but Israel\u2019s standing on the global stage.<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

After more than two years of war, Gaza lies in ruins. Large swathes of housing and infrastructure have been destroyed, tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed, and those who remain face winter conditions with limited access to food, medicine and shelter. Against this backdrop, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has joined US President […]<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":1,"featured_media":815,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-813","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"link","format":"url"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/al-ahwaz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/813","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/al-ahwaz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/al-ahwaz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/al-ahwaz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/al-ahwaz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=813"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/al-ahwaz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/813\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":816,"href":"https:\/\/al-ahwaz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/813\/revisions\/816"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/al-ahwaz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/815"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/al-ahwaz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=813"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/al-ahwaz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=813"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/al-ahwaz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=813"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}