Netanyahu Overturns Army's Humanitarian Ceasefire in Gaza Amid Internal Disputes and Rising Tensions

A report by Amale Chehadeh, English adaptation by Nadine Sassine


In a decision reflecting the disagreements and lack of coordination between the military and political institutions, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled the army's decision to halt fighting daily from Karem Abou Salem to Salah al-Din and northward in Gaza from 8 AM to 7 PM to allow for the entry of humanitarian services. Netanyahu, who claimed he learned about the decision through the media, immediately overturned it, with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant preceding him in the decision, while National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir described the decision-makers as foolish.

The cancellation of the decision came alongside continued and intensified fighting in Rafah, following the announcement of the death toll from the explosion of a Namer armored vehicle rising to eleven soldiers. The Namer is considered the most advanced Israeli armored vehicle, and the army had added sensors and advanced equipment to prevent it from being hit.
Netanyahu addressed the Israelis amid growing protests and calls for the government to move towards a prisoner exchange deal, reaffirming the correctness of his policy to continue fighting and pressuring Hamas until achieving absolute victory.

On the northern front, where Hezbollah rockets and drones continue to fall, causing more destruction and damage and increasing the number of injuries, the war cabinet announced the postponement of the decision regarding it until the start of US envoy Amos Hochstein's talks in Tel Aviv on Monday, in addition to the outcome of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant's visit to Washington this month at the invitation of his American counterpart, Lloyd Austin, where developments on the northern front will be central to their meeting.

The US-Israeli talks, including meetings of Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and National Security Council head Tzachi Hanegbi in Washington, come amid American fears of a war breaking out between Israel and Lebanon, leading to a full-scale war involving the United States. Efforts are being made by various parties to prevent such escalation, aiming to ensure a solution between the two sides that guarantees what Israel calls the security of its borders and residents and changes the current situation on the northern border.