Dr. Diaa Rashwan, head of the Egyptian General Authority for Information, responded to a question regarding his expectations of the Israeli side’s handling of the current phase after the Palestinian factions—led by Hamas—accepted the ceasefire proposal. He said: “The Israeli side undoubtedly wished for Hamas and the resistance factions to reject continuing the arrangements and preparations established by the mini-cabinet two days ago, which the Chief of Staff approved yesterday, and which the Prime Minister and Israeli Defense Minister were supposed to approve today for the occupation of Gaza City.” Rashwan added in a phone interview with journalist Raghda Abu Layla on Al Kahera News Channel: “Therefore, this approval has placed the Israeli side internally in both a crisis and an opportunity.

The opportunity is that the government can buy the satisfaction of the majority in Israeli society, especially those who have been protesting for months demanding the return of detainees in Gaza, and the majority in opinion polls calling for a complete end to the war in Gaza.” He continued: “The crisis is that there is a government coalition led by Netanyahu with very extremist ministers who may not accept this deal and may see it as not fulfilling their desires and demands to displace Gaza’s residents, seize it, and annex the West Bank and East Jerusalem. However, Netanyahu has another political opportunity as the Israeli opposition has repeatedly offered political cover for Netanyahu’s government in the Knesset.

Netanyahu has a majority in the Knesset in coalition with the far right, which could topple the government, but the current Israeli opposition supports him until the upcoming elections, so Netanyahu remains prime minister with parliamentary support but without government participation until the next elections in the fall of next year.”