Netanyahu Preparing Major Gaza Offensive Ahead of Election

Senior Israeli military officials reportedly suspect that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may be seeking to escalate the situation in Gaza in the near future. This comes ahead of the parliamentary elections.

Israeli newspaper Maariv reported an assessment among senior Israeli military figures indicating that Netanyahu does not want the ongoing conflict to end and may reignite escalation in Gaza.

According to the report, military officials fear that such an escalation could be used to disrupt or delay the electoral process.

These concerns have prompted an unusually stern warning from senior officers. “We will not engage in a new unnecessary war,” they stated, as quoted in the report.

This divergence of views reflects mounting tension between Israel’s political and military leadership over the continuation or expansion of military operations, amid a challenging political situation for Netanyahu ahead of the election.

This is closely linked to recent opinion poll results showing that Netanyahu’s governing bloc has failed to secure the parliamentary majority needed to form a government. Israel is scheduled to hold parliamentary elections on 27 October.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza stated on Sunday that the death toll from Israel’s ongoing aggression in the territory has reached 73,420 Palestinians killed and 174,369 wounded since 7 October 2023.

The sources noted that hospitals in Gaza received one fatality and five wounded Palestinians over the past 48 hours.

Since the ceasefire that came into effect on 11 October 2025, the number of Palestinians killed has risen to 1,286, while 4,257 others have been injured. A total of 813 bodies have also been successfully evacuated.

Health authorities reported that a number of victims remain trapped beneath the rubble and in the streets, as ambulance and rescue teams continue to face difficulties reaching and evacuating them.