Israel's euphoria over hostage rescue may well be fleeting

Resignation of main political rival from war Cabinet has left Netanyahu even more exposed

For months, Israelis had heard only about hostages being killed or declared dead in the Gaza Strip. The “lucky” families were those whose loved ones’ remains were retrieved by soldiers, at great risk, and brought home for burial.

So the audacious rescue on June 8 of four living hostages instantly raised morale in Israel and offered at least a momentary victory for the country’s embattled Prime Minister, Mr Benjamin Netanyahu.

But by June 9, euphoria was giving way to a harsher reality. The heavy air and ground assault that accompanied the rescue killed scores of Palestinians, including civilians, according to Gaza health officials, puncturing Israel’s claims that the operation was a resounding success, at least internationally.

And the operation failed to resolve any of the deep dilemmas and challenges vexing the Israeli government, according to analysts.

Eight months into its grinding war in Gaza, Israel still appears to be far from achieving its stated objectives of dismantling Hamas’ military and governing capabilities. And Israelis fear that time is running out for many of the hostages. About one-third of the 120 who remain have been declared dead by the Israeli authorities.

At the same time, Israel’s leadership is grappling with an escalation of hostilities across the northern border with Lebanon and battling increasing international isolation and opprobrium over the war in Gaza, including allegations of genocide that are being heard by the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

The rescue mission “doesn’t solve a single one of the problems that Israel has been facing ever since Oct 7”, Mr Nahum Barnea, a leading Israeli political columnist, wrote in the popular Yediot Ahronot newspaper on June 9.

“It doesn’t solve the problem in the north; it doesn’t solve the problem in Gaza; and it doesn’t solve the slew of other problems that threaten Israel in the international arena,” he added.