The Truce Collapses: Hostage Crisis or Government in Crisis?
Israel and the Arabs—entangled in a conflict waged in the name of God—now seem beyond the reach of diplomacy. Despite countless negotiations and high-profile interventions, a resolution remained elusive. Newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump made significant efforts to broker a ceasefire, and for a moment, it held. But doubts lingered: Would it last? Hostages and prisoners became bargaining chips in a grim exchange, where humiliation tainted every deal.
Then, the inevitable happened. Israel shattered the truce, launching strikes across Gaza. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant made Israel’s stance clear: the offensive would persist until Hamas released all hostages and threats to southern Israel were eliminated. Yet, many see a deeper political calculation at play—an effort by Netanyahu to shore up his fragile coalition and stave off the prospect of immediate elections.
The ceasefire is over. After a fleeting pause, the military action resumed.
What’s happening in Gaza?
Israel has launched one of its most intense assaults on Gaza in a single day, with an offensive that was both unexpected and devastating. The military has ordered evacuations in Beit Hanoun and several eastern communities, signaling the potential for imminent ground operations.
The escalation follows a wave of Israeli airstrikes that killed more than 400 people, abruptly ending a fragile ceasefire that had held since mid-January. Palestinian health officials reported 404 deaths and over 600 injuries, while Israeli military sources claimed the strikes targeted Hamas commanders and political figures. Throughout the day and into the evening, airstrikes and artillery fire continued, leaving widespread destruction.
Aid groups described a desperate situation, as hundreds—possibly thousands—fled in response to evacuation orders. Strikes were reported across northern Gaza and in the central cities of Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis. In Rafah, an airstrike wiped out 17 members of a single family, including five children and their parents. Another strike in Abasan al-Kabira, east of Khan Younis, killed 13 people.
Israel needs all hostages back
Israel justified breaking the ceasefire by citing Hamas’s delays in releasing hostages and its use of negotiations to prolong the crisis. During a visit to an airbase, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz stated that Hamas must recognize the rules of engagement had changed. He warned that if the remaining hostages were not freed, Israel would respond with overwhelming military force across air, sea, and land.
Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, a military spokesperson, explained that Israel launched strikes after uncovering Hamas’s plans to conduct new raids aimed at capturing or killing Israeli civilians and soldiers. He also pointed to Hamas’s refusal to release more of the 59 hostages still held in Gaza, describing it as a violation of the ceasefire agreement established in January. According to Shoshani, Hamas had the option to release all the hostages but instead chose to continue its campaign of terror and warfare.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office stated that Hamas had rejected proposals from Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, for an extension of the pause in hostilities. The statement emphasized that Israel would now escalate its military operations against Hamas with increasing force.
The Politics behind Israel’s move
While Israel frames the hostage crisis as justification for breaking the ceasefire, critics argue that Netanyahu is using the war to secure his political survival rather than prioritizing national security. He faces mounting pressure from far-right factions within his coalition, particularly Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who opposed the ceasefire from the beginning and repeatedly threatened to resign if military operations did not resume. Netanyahu must also navigate a crucial vote this month, as failure to pass the overdue 2025 budget by March 31 would automatically dissolve the government, forcing early elections.
Netanyahu’s refusal to authorize a state commission of inquiry into the failures of October 7 has only heightened public anger. He decided to dismiss the head of the Shin Bet internal security service, who conducted the inquiry, sparking protests and accusations of authoritarianism. If elections take place, they may not secure his political future. Meanwhile, the renewed military action immediately benefited him. Within hours of the strikes, far-right leader Itamar Ben-Gvir, who resigned from the cabinet in January over the ceasefire, rejoined the government.
Netanyahu has repeatedly dismissed accusations of political maneuvering, maintaining that military pressure is the only viable strategy to secure the hostages’ release. He insists that the complete destruction of Hamas is essential for Israel’s long-term security. His office squarely placed responsibility for the ceasefire’s breakdown on Hamas, citing its continued refusal to release hostages and its rejection of proposals from U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, leaving Israel with no alternative but to resume strikes.
What happens next?
Whether the objective is genuinely to secure hostages and protect national security or merely to sustain his government, one thing is undeniable—this conflict has no easy resolution. Israel seeks to assert control over Gaza, while Hamas leverages the situation to portray itself as a victim and galvanize global Muslim solidarity. As the war drags on, Netanyahu is poised to deepen his support among the right wing, using the conflict as a means to solidify his hold on power. For now, no resolution is in sight.
