One of the long-standing accusations against Netanyahu, both in his cabinet and outside his political base, is that he prioritizes his own political survival and that several former allies lack a detailed strategy. By starting a war that stated, the US has taken advantage of the right-wing base.
Former prime minister Benny Gantz resigned from Netanyahu’s cabinet in June, accusing Netanyahu of standing in the way of “real victory,” but killing Hamas’ leaders will not bring down the organization. Some people claim that.
Mr. Shinwar’s murder only strengthens demands for a deal from Mr. Netanyahu. “Now more than ever, we must act in every possible way to recover the 101 hostages,” Israeli President Isaac Herzog said in an X-post on Thursday.
Many ordinary Israelis are not optimistic that the return of the hostages is imminent following Sinwar’s death.
“I’m concerned that the Netanyahu government’s motives are never completely pure,” Hagai Keren, 52, a lawyer from a town south of the northwestern city of Haifa, told NBC News. “And the Netanyahu government’s primary interest is the continuation of the war, meaning that any possibility of bringing back the hostages now may not be fully pursued.”
Similar suspicions apply to many of the families of those still held by Hamas militants.
Jonathan Dekel Chen’s son Sagi, then 35 years old, was taken hostage on October 7th. “There can be no victory in this war against Hamas without the return of the hostages,” he told NBC News. “I would like to believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu and his government are in line with that understanding, but their actions to date cast doubt on that understanding.”
“It is clear that Mr. Sinwar was murdered,” Dekerchen added. “There is no justification for doing anything other than whatever means necessary to bring the hostages home.”
As for Prime Minister Netanyahu’s future options, the experienced political operator will be waiting to see what happens next with Israel’s most influential patron. US voters will choose the next president within a 30-day period during which Israel must comply with the demands laid out in this week’s letter.
But Bronwen Maddox of Chatham House says how seriously Prime Minister Netanyahu takes Biden’s bid to become a lame-duck president may depend on the outcome of the election. “My guess is that, like many people around the world, he’s waiting to see what happens from this result, but he doesn’t think there will be much pressure until that election.”
