In a surprising turn of events, the Israeli government has been hit by internal divisions over the war in Gaza, as Defence Minister Yoav Gallant publicly called for a clear strategy from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The rift highlights growing unease within the security establishment regarding the lack of direction on the post-war governance of Gaza.

The comments from Defence Minister Gallant, who opposed the idea of establishing a military government in the enclave, have brought to light the stark divide between the two centrist former army generals in the cabinet, Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot, who both supported Gallant's demand. However, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Internal Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, leaders of the hard right nationalist religious parties, condemned Gallant's statement.

The Israel Today tabloid grabbed attention with its headline on Thursday, showing Netanyahu and Gallant facing different directions under the caption, "That's no way to run a war." The lack of a clear strategic goal for the campaign, apart from dismantling Hamas and rescuing the remaining 130 hostages, has raised concerns both domestically and internationally. The conflict has resulted in the deaths of approximately 35,000 Palestinians and has isolated Israel on the global stage.

While Netanyahu, backed by Smotrich and Ben-Gvir, has rejected involving the Palestinian Authority in the governance of post-war Gaza, no viable alternatives have been identified yet. The idea of recruiting Palestinian clan leaders or civil society figures has been discussed, but without any concrete evidence of their capability or willingness to replace Hamas. Additionally, no friendly Arab nations have come forward to provide assistance in this matter.

Experts have warned that if Israel decides to take full control of Gaza, it would require substantial military forces, potentially involving around 50,000 troops. The agility and adaptability of Hamas have been evident, with the organization regrouping in areas previously cleared by Israeli forces. They have adopted new tactics of guerrilla warfare, posing a significant challenge to the military.

The dangers of a prolonged insurgency were demonstrated when five Israeli soldiers were tragically killed in a "friendly fire" incident during intense battles in the Jabalia area. Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, Israel's military spokesman, emphasized that breaking down areas where Hamas regroups remains a priority, leaving any potential alternative government to be addressed at the political level.

Although most surveys suggest that Israelis still broadly support the ongoing war, this support has been slowly diminishing, with an increasing focus on the safe return of hostages rather than solely targeting the complete destruction of Hamas. Incidents similar to the "friendly fire" tragedy risk further eroding public support if they persist.

This internal feud within the Israeli government also reflects broader social divisions within the country, such as the controversial topic of conscripting ultra Orthodox Torah students into the military. While Netanyahu has managed to prevent a walk-out that could destabilize his government, Defence Minister Gallant, who has previously challenged Netanyahu's authority, may continue to challenge the prime minister on this issue in the future.