A missile fired by Houthi rebels targets central Israel as airstrikes hit displaced area in Gaza
Associated PressJAN 16
Netanyahu Meets With Trump in Washington
Above: U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C. on April 7, 2025. Image copyright: Saul Loeb/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
The return to war will not save the hostages. Netanyahu is playing with fire as he divides Israel by moving to sack Ronen Bar and resuming the war in Gaza to buy time. Both sides need to make concessions so that the cease-fire can be fully implemented and the hostages are returned.
Pro-Israel narrative
Hamas got two weeks of a cease-fire for free as it refused to release additional hostages, making a return to war inevitable. Though the media have uncritically parroted Hamas propaganda regarding civilian casualties, the reality is that Israel is targeting senior Hamas officials and the terror group's military infrastructure, which is embedded in civilian areas. If Palestinians in Gaza want the war to end, they should force Hamas to release the hostages.
Pro-Palestine narrative
Netanyahu is resuming the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza to ensure his political survival. Facing corruption charges alongside a weakened governing coalition, Netanyahu can only survive through endless war and genocide. Indeed, Netanyahu is not just a danger to Palestinians, but a danger to the entire world.