The “no endpoint” strategy is catastrophic for Gaza — and Israel too.
There is little sense in waiting for Benjamin Netanyahu to unveil his plans for the future of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, because he isn’t telling. The Israeli media occasionally observes that he still won’t decide. Competing ideas emitting from his government – whether Israel envisions permanent occupation of Gaza and even new settlements; whether the Palestinian Authority will have control; if there will be an international presence, and if so, who – only muddy the picture.
When Netanyahu finally issued a parsimonious document in February for his “day after” plan, it included some broad military aims, alongside indecipherable slogans such as “deradicalisation” of Gaza. Either Netanyahu himself hasn’t decided how this war ends, what happens with Gaza afterwards, or Israel’s preferred policy for the future of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, or he just won’t say it.
The absence of clarity on Israel’s next steps is worrying. Netanyahu’s lack of transparency feeds into growing concerns about the indefinite extension of the war, with no clear resolution in sight. His government’s inconsistent signals suggest an unwillingness to confront the reality of Gaza’s reconstruction or address the underlying political questions. There is an unsettling sense that the conflict is meant to continue until Hamas is fully dismantled, without any defined end.
At the same time, the absence of a structured political strategy from the Israeli leadership leaves Gaza and its people vulnerable to further devastation. Any peace or political process is nowhere on the horizon. The “no endpoint” strategy, which Netanyahu seems to endorse, sets a dangerous precedent of perpetual warfare without concrete goals or accountability. It brings unnecessary suffering not only to Palestinians but also to Israelis, who must contend with the repercussions of endless military operations.
The global community watches in disbelief as Israel’s leadership, under Netanyahu, appears to drift further into a conflict with no solution. The rhetoric of “deradicalisation” and temporary military goals not only ignores the suffering of millions of civilians but also risks entrenching long-term instability in the region. The absence of diplomatic engagement only deepens the crisis, as opportunities for a lasting peace grow ever more distant.
Israel’s military objectives in Gaza, when left undefined, risk further alienating the international community. Criticism of Israel’s actions has intensified, yet Netanyahu’s government has shown no willingness to shift toward a more cooperative diplomatic approach. The failure to lay out a clear strategy for Gaza’s future threatens to undermine Israel’s own long-term security interests while exacerbating the humanitarian toll on the Palestinian people.
As the war drags on with no endpoint, the question remains: will Netanyahu ever offer the Israeli public and the international community a clear vision for peace? The silence is deafening, and the consequences for both Gaza and Israel are dire. Without a defined path forward, Israel risks becoming mired in an endless cycle of violence, with no meaningful resolution on the horizon.
