Israel’s Defense Minister Benny Gantz, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s partner in leading the country, has started to implement clear policy lines toward Hamas in recent weeks. This policy tries to shift, if only slightly, the balance with Hamas and perhaps lead to a deal that would return the three Israeli citizens held hostage in the Gaza Strip and the bodies of two Israeli soldiers who were killed in Operation Protective Edge five years ago. 

This policy by Gantz includes, on the one hand, harsher responses than in the past, including attacks on Hamas positions and bases in response to incendiary and explosive balloons, as happened in the latest round of violence in the last two weeks of August. Tanks and planes destroyed entire Hamas bases, and Gantz further warned that Hamas would suffer hard blows, hinting that Israel would reinstate the policy of targeted assassination — that is, the personal killing of leaders of the Hamas organization. Also, Gantz has further sharpened the economic steps against Hamas and groups associated with it and has prevented the return of Palestinian terrorists’ bodies held by Israel. 

On the other hand, the defense minister has tried to break the deadlock in advancing economic projects to build infrastructure in Gaza in order to improve the difficult and worsening humanitarian situation that has resulted from the renewed outbreak of the coronavirus. 

After more than two weeks of terror organizations sending incendiary balloons and explosive devices from Gaza into Israel, and even a barrage or two of rocket fire toward Israeli towns in the Negev, a cease-fire was reached Aug. 31 with the mediation of Egypt and the Qatari emissary to Gaza Mohammed al-Emadi.