Tehran – Again, the Israelis took them to the streets in protest, due to the strategic failures of the military in Gaza and the collapse of government policies.
A massive demonstration on Saturday – pinned to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem (AL-QUDS) and spurred this week after authorities cleared camp near a residence on Gaza Street in Netanyahu – has been led by prisoners of war families who the government says cares about rescue.
Relatives such as Einav Zangauker, Ofir Braslavski, and Anat Angrest became visible symbols of public outrage, demanding accountability and the end of what many consider to be catastrophic mismanagement.
These protests were catalyzed by the latest, costly escalations. It was a new, massive ground attack targeting Gaza city, where the army committed additional divisions, including the 36th armored division, after pulling from Khan Eunice in preparation for urban combat.
This push has strengthened artillery fire, strengthened forced popular movements of civilians, and contributed to what international organizations describe as catastrophic displacements.
Human sacrifice is devastating. Reports show that more than 65,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, with hundreds of thousands more injured and evacuated. Recently alone, dozens have been killed on a single strike, but the entire neighborhood has been empty under evacuation orders.
Heartbreaking individual accounts, including Khan Eunice’s malnutrition on Sunday to reported deaths of 3-year-old Habiba Abu Shaar, highlight the collapse of private infrastructure and constant reduced space for survival.
At the same time, Palestinian resistance work will continue. Rockets and projectiles fired from Gaza towards a southern Israeli town on Sunday, and roadside attacks within Gaza (the Rafa bomb that recently killed four Israeli soldiers) demonstrate both the sustainability of the militants’ capabilities and the cost of humans on both sides.
The deaths of these soldiers reinforce the anger and sadness within the country, even when strategic goals remain unknown.
Importantly, objections aren’t just on the streets. The senior security reportedly warned that Gaza city’s operations had no clear postwar plans and raised alternatives that included captivity options rejected by political leaders.
Israeli military chief of staff, Eyal Zamir, warned that the military lacked clarity in Gaza’s “Japan-China” governance and told lawmakers that the government has not defined whether Israel intends to impose a military junta or pursue a different model. His remarks, leaking from a closed briefing, underscored the increasing friction between the army and political leaders, and deepened public unease over the trajectory of the war.
Political outcomes are becoming increasingly noticeable. Opposition leader Yair Lapid accused the government of strategic bankruptcy and moral failure, but former prime ministers Ehud Olmert and Ehud Barak denounced the campaign and called for a rethink.
Their intervention, coupled with recent perceptions of Palestinian by several Western countries, including the UK, Canada and Australia, has amplified the perception that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition is leading Israel towards isolation and long-term risks. His wartime rebellion is seen as linked not only to policy but also to his own political survival, as the ongoing corruption trials threaten prisons for him and his wife.
Finally, internal conflicts over elections and procedures have been placed on the second front. Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has urged officials to resist political interference, arguing that elections must move on. The minister responded with a bitter and sometimes personal attack on social media. The far right, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gwil, laughed at him directly: “Naphtari, we haven’t stealed the election – that’s your expertise.”
Its scramble – the threat of delaying elections, public barbs from cabinet members, rival campaigns – corrodes legitimacy at the moment Israel needs most.
This is not just an operational failure. It’s a political failure. Strategies that create large civilian suffering, entrenched resistance, and deep institutional sectors cannot advocate for long-term security.