Israel’s political and military leadership is facing mounting pressure as the war in Gaza enters a critical juncture, with the fate of a proposed cease-fire and the lives of hostages hanging in the balance. On Tuesday afternoon, August 26, 2025, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was set to convene the security cabinet to discuss the ongoing military offensive in Gaza and the prospects for a deal that could bring at least some of the remaining Israeli hostages home.
The meeting, confirmed by three Israeli officials and scheduled for 4 p.m., comes after Hamas announced last week that it had agreed to a cease-fire proposal. This plan, according to reporting from The New York Times and The Times of Israel, would see the immediate release of some hostages, a significant increase in humanitarian aid to Gaza, and the opening of a pathway to further discussions aimed at ending the nearly two-year war. Yet, despite the apparent breakthrough, Israeli officials have signaled reluctance to endorse what they describe as a “partial deal.”
Instead, the government appears determined to push forward with a military campaign to seize control of Gaza City, with Netanyahu reiterating his commitment to a cabinet-approved plan that aims for a comprehensive agreement: the return of all hostages and the disarmament of Hamas. According to The Times of Israel, Netanyahu has instructed Israel’s negotiating team to resume talks, but only toward a sweeping deal that would end the war on Israel’s terms. The precise details of the next round of negotiations remain undecided, with the location, timing, and makeup of Israel’s delegation still under discussion.
This hardline stance has sparked outrage and anxiety at home, as protests erupted across Israel shortly after dawn on Tuesday. Demonstrators, including families of hostages, are demanding that Netanyahu accept the cease-fire proposal, fearing that further military escalation could endanger their loved ones. “Advancing the plan to conquer Gaza while there is an agreement lying on the table for the prime minister’s signature is a stab in the heart of the families and the entire nation,” said Itzik Horn, whose son Eitan remains captive in Gaza. Horn’s statement, released by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, underscored the desperation and determination of families who have endured nearly two years of uncertainty and grief. “Join us today in our collective struggle because only the people will bring them home,” he urged.
The sense of urgency is heightened by the grim toll of the conflict. On Monday, Israeli military strikes on a hospital in Gaza killed at least 20 people, including five journalists, according to the Gazan health ministry. The attack drew swift condemnation from international organizations and world leaders. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization, declared on social media, “We cannot say it loudly enough: STOP attacks on health care. Ceasefire now!” The Israeli military has said it is investigating the incident, while Netanyahu’s office described the strike as a “tragic mishap.”
International humanitarian law forbids attacks on hospitals, but Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of using such protected sites as shields for military operations. Hamas, for its part, denies these claims. The cycle of accusation and counter-accusation has become a grim refrain throughout the war, with civilians caught in the crossfire.
Even international allies have expressed unease. On Monday, former President Trump told journalists he was “not happy” about the hospital strike, adding, “We have to end that whole nightmare.” Trump went further, stating his belief that fewer than 20 hostages remain alive in Gaza, a stark reminder of the stakes involved. Israeli authorities have said that the bodies of 30 other hostages are also being held in Gaza, compounding the anguish for families awaiting news.
The roots of the current crisis stretch back to October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants launched a surprise assault on Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people and kidnapping around 250 others. The attack marked the start of Israel’s retaliatory war against Hamas, a campaign that has devastated much of the Gaza Strip. After nearly two years of relentless fighting, the territory has been largely leveled, and famine has been declared in parts of Gaza, according to the Gazan health ministry. The human cost has been staggering: more than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed, a figure that does not distinguish between combatants and civilians.
This enormous loss of life and the destruction of Gaza’s infrastructure have fueled international calls for a cease-fire and increased humanitarian aid. Yet, the Israeli government remains deeply divided on how to proceed. While some officials and members of the public argue that accepting a partial deal is the only way to save the remaining hostages and prevent further suffering, others insist that only a comprehensive agreement that dismantles Hamas’s military capabilities can guarantee Israel’s long-term security.
Within the security cabinet itself, these divisions are palpable. The meeting on Tuesday was expected to include a discussion of the ongoing military operation in Gaza, but, as reported by The Times of Israel, the cease-fire and phased hostage-release proposal accepted by Hamas was not officially on the agenda. This omission has only intensified the debate over the government’s strategy and its willingness to compromise.
Meanwhile, negotiations with Hamas remain fraught with uncertainty. Talks are said to be ongoing, but the location, timing, and composition of the Israeli delegation have yet to be finalized. The lack of clarity has left families of hostages and much of the Israeli public in a state of anxious anticipation, unsure whether a breakthrough is imminent or if the conflict will grind on with no end in sight.
For Gaza’s civilians, the situation grows more desperate by the day. With large swathes of the territory in ruins, basic services have collapsed, and hunger is widespread. International aid agencies have repeatedly warned that without a sustained cease-fire and a massive influx of humanitarian assistance, the humanitarian catastrophe will only deepen.
As Israel’s leaders gather behind closed doors, the stakes could hardly be higher. The choices made in the coming days will shape the fate of the hostages, the future of Gaza, and the prospects for peace in a region scarred by decades of conflict. For the families waiting for news, for the civilians trapped in Gaza, and for a world watching with growing alarm, the outcome of these deliberations is anything but academic.
The path forward is uncertain, but the urgency for resolution—on all sides—has never been greater.
