Haaretz: Photos of crowds returning to northern Gaza shattered Netanyahu's illusion of complete victory

“Moreover, although American contractors for the Pentagon are deployed in the Netzarim corridor to ensure that no weapons are smuggled into cars, there is no oversight of the crowds moving on foot, and Hamas is likely to be able to smuggle a fair number of weapons this way. Hamas’s military wing will also be able to gradually renew its operational cadres,” he said.

Harel considered that what he called the tactical move taken by Netanyahu as a result of internal and external pressures on him succeeded in releasing a number of Israeli prisoners, but he saw that "the bigger picture shows a decline in the Israeli ability to impose a complete military solution in light of the restrictions on the movement of the Israeli army inside Gaza after the return of the residents."

Trump's Decisive Pressure

One of the most complex dimensions of the report relates to international pressures that could be decisive in determining the course of future events. According to Harel, expectations indicate that US President Donald Trump will play a pivotal role in determining the future of the conflict, especially after assurances that his main interest is ending the war, not renewing it. This will put Netanyahu in a difficult position.

The writer highlighted the interests of the US President, who is expected to meet with Netanyahu soon, and says that the meeting between the two men is expected to address political solutions that may include completing a full Israeli prisoner exchange deal with Hamas, in addition to pressuring Israel to achieve a political settlement with the Arab countries, which will include - in addition to comprehensive normalization - recognition - at least verbally - of a future vision for establishing a Palestinian state.

“These pressures could lead to an Israeli response that was unimaginable at the beginning of the war on Gaza,” he commented. He even believes that the outcome could be far from the hardline military vision promoted by the far-right governments in Israel, as the political future of the conflict will remain subject to international pressures, especially from the United States, while Israel’s military options remain increasingly limited in light of the complex field and political situation in Gaza.

The analyst believes that Hamas “suffered a major military blow in the war, perhaps the most severe blow that the Israeli army has ever dealt to an enemy of Israel. However, the promises made by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who opposes the exchange deal, regarding a quick return to war are far from what Netanyahu might be forced to do. The final decision may be in the hands of Trump, whose upcoming meeting with Netanyahu in Washington can only be described as fateful.”

Source: Haaretz