Netanyahu's political turning point: Israeli army withdraws from Gaza amid rising internal pressures

In Gaza, the Israeli army continues to withdraw its units following reports that decisively concluded an inability to achieve objectives, including the elimination of Hamas.

Despite the army's withdrawal, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu persists in his threats to carry on with the war and intensify the fighting until Hamas is defeated and the hostages are returned.

On the northern border with Lebanon, confrontations remain, and air raid sirens continue to sound.

In the face of the deteriorating security situation, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant escalated his threats during an assessment session, informing his US counterpart, Lloyd Austin, that Tel Aviv is approaching a decisive point and aims to bring back its residents to the north, either through diplomatic means or a military decision.

Amid the contrasting stances of the Israeli army in the north and south and developments in diplomatic maneuvers, the internal front in Israel is ablaze with a dual-purpose battle led by members of the War Cabinet, Benny Gantz, and Gadi Eisenkot.

The first objective is to overthrow Netanyahu and initiate parliamentary elections. The second objective is an immediate prisoner exchange deal.

If these goals move toward implementation, they prevent progress toward a war with Lebanon or an intensification of the war in Gaza.

However, where does the United States stand on Netanyahu?

So far, after rejecting the initial US peace plan, Washington continues to seek a solution with minimal losses.

According to an Israeli official, the US has proposed a regional settlement, including a Gaza ceasefire, a significant prisoner exchange, normalization with Arab states, the replacement of Hamas rule in Gaza, and an Israeli commitment to a Palestinian state.

Nevertheless, Netanyahu, facing one of the most critical stages of his political life, attempted to justify his rejection of any proposed plan to end the war before achieving its goals, leading to crises that exacerbated internal opposition against him.

According to polls published on Friday in Israel, the Likud party led by Netanyahu would only secure 16 seats in the current elections. 

In comparison, Benny Gantz' Blue and White party would attain 39 seats. In the survey, 31% of Israelis support Netanyahu, while Gantz approaches a 50% approval rating.