Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could have agreed to a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip in April 2024, but he refused to do so for the sake of his political survival, APA reports citing The New York Times.
The newspaper states that under pressure from his radical right-wing coalition allies, Netanyahu deliberately slowed down the course of negotiations at moments when the Hamas movement was most prepared to reach an agreement.
He insisted on continuing military operations even when Israeli military leadership did not consider it necessary.
Although the parties eventually reached a ceasefire agreement in January 2025, Netanyahu broke the ceasefire in March, partly to prevent dissatisfaction among right-wing factions.
The report notes that this approach contributed to the prolongation of the war in Gaza, resulting in the deaths of thousands of Palestinians, prevented the safe return of some hostages, deepened divisions within Israeli society, jeopardized the peace deal with Saudi Arabia, and tarnished Israel’s image in the eyes of the international community.
According to the newspaper, however, the consequences of this decision were highly beneficial for Netanyahu personally. He consolidated maximum power, blocked an investigation into Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel—an inquiry that could have held him responsible for failing to prevent it—and gained the opportunity to plan and carry out an attack on Iran.
Ultimately, even Netanyahu’s most loyal supporters admit that the continuation of hostilities allowed him to remain in office.
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