It may seem like an imprecise comparison to juxtapose the ongoing protests in the Gaza Strip against Hamas’ continued rule—despite the massive destruction, thousands of Palestinian casualties, and a glaring absence of any credible path toward resolution—with the large-scale demonstrations unfolding in Israel, driven by demands for a hostage exchange and a ceasefire.
In Gaza, the internal vacuum surrounding the handover of hostages, the ambiguity over partial Israeli withdrawals and reconstruction efforts, and the vague proposals to restructure the security and political scene via a consensus committee between Fatah and Hamas, all amid responses to American and Israeli initiatives, reflect a paralyzed political landscape.
On the other side, Israel’s societal unrest is tightly linked to its internal political disarray, particularly the makeup of its governing coalition and its controversial maneuvers—including attempts to dismiss the Shin Bet chief and the attorney general, and the reinstallation of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to enforce his aggressive security vision.
The core issue in both Gaza and Israel remains the same: a deep state of internal fragmentation and the absence of a coherent political roadmap.
In Gaza’s case, the situation is made even more complex by Israel’s persistent military strategy, which relies heavily on force, targeting critical infrastructure, resuming the policy of targeted assassinations against mid-level and internal security figures, and cutting off internet, water, and electricity in line with a broader plan seemingly intended to render the Strip uninhabitable and to encourage voluntary migration—a trend already underway. This approach appears designed to impose a new reality on all parties involved.
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In Israel, the unrest demands serious internal introspection despite the government’s current hold on power. Public opinion is increasingly split between factions for and against the status quo, with growing concerns of an impending civil war should the situation persist. This internal division suggests Israel is unlikely to seriously engage in ceasefire negotiations until it achieves what it considers sufficient security and ensures that a repeat of October 7 is impossible.
This is further complicated by looming threats on the Lebanese front, where no solid guarantees exist, despite Hezbollah and Hamas’ setbacks and the current American-Israeli focus on neutralizing the Houthi front.
Within this complex web, the search for alternatives is gaining traction. In Gaza, this could mean the imposition of tribal leadership—an idea floated by Israel after months of conflict—or perhaps civilian, nonpartisan governance. These scenarios underscore Israel’s belief that Hamas is unlikely to relinquish control voluntarily and will continue to sacrifice lives to maintain its grip.
Any Hamas willingness to consider current proposals is seen in Israel as tactical rather than strategic, while in parallel, calls for early elections and an end to political polarization grow louder.
However, the political establishment in Israel remains relatively united around the vision of stability under Netanyahu’s leadership, bolstered by the backing of the religious establishment and senior rabbis who see the continuation of conflict not only as a negotiation tool but as a vehicle for a larger objective: the erasure of Palestinian presence.
Accordingly, the Israeli strategy in Gaza is likely to remain expansive, precluding any real or even temporary solution, particularly amid ongoing disunity between Hamas and Fatah and the absence of a robust Palestinian political alternative.
For a meaningful shift to occur, Palestinian public opinion must mobilize around a new paradigm, one that moves beyond factionalism and demands the revitalization of the Palestinian Authority, the Palestinian Liberation Organization, and the broader political system to demonstrate to the international community a genuine commitment to reform rather than continued political maneuvering.
The protests now erupting in both Israel and Gaza are rooted in deeper realities that reflect the broader crisis engulfing both territories—realities that could profoundly shape the course of events, especially as multiple scenarios remain in play and the region teeters on the edge of new, unpredictable developments.
Tarek Fahmy (translated by Asaf Zilberfarb)