In December 2025, Hamas published a document summarizing the war in the Gaza Strip nearly two years after its outbreak. The document, titled “Our Narrative: Al-Aqsa Flood—Two Years of Steadfastness and Aspiration for Liberation,” resembles the format of a document issued by the organization in January 2024 but differs in content. The earlier document, which functioned as a kind of defense brief in response to criticism leveled at Hamas and its concerns about the continuation of the war, sought to explain why it had declared war on...
Summary of the Results
A clear majority of the public (80.5%) believes that there is politicization within the IDF to some extent; more than half of the public (57%) prefers the establishment of a state commission of inquiry over a committee appointed by members of the Knesset; about two-thirds of the public (64%) assess that legislation exempting most of the ultra-Orthodox public from IDF service would harm motivation for combat service; half of the public believes that approval of a bill mandating the death penalty for terrorists...
International experience shows that deploying a stabilizing force as proposed in President Trump’s 20-point plan for the Gaza Strip requires a clear mandate, dedicated training, and close coordination among all the actors involved, while contending with complex cultural and operational challenges—especially in a densely populated, hostile, and violent civilian environment. Mission success depends on a strong mandate under Chapter VII of the UN Charter or similar to, comprehensive force training, and limiting the number of...
The events of October 7, 2023, not only shook Israel’s national security but also undermined public trust in state institutions, especially the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), to an unprecedented degree. It was in this context that the northern campaign developed—initially secondary in the strategic agenda but gradually taking a central place in public consciousness. For many, the approach toward fighting Hezbollah—ranging from containment and restraint to significant escalation—was seen as an ongoing test of the system’s ability to...
Summary of the Results
The arena that most concerns the Israeli Jewish public is Judea and Samaria (77%). Fewer than one-third of the Jewish public (28.5%) believes that the security situation in the north provides sufficient security for residents, with almost half thinking that the situation requires a return to limited fighting. A majority of the Israeli public (59%) believes that the decisions made by the political echelon are not based on professional considerations. Notably, 61% of the Israeli Jewish public opposes resolving...
The main foreign policy issue that has preoccupied Egypt recently has been the war in the Gaza Strip. Egypt’s policy toward the war in particular, and toward Israel in general, should be assessed in light of two central factors: first, the prolonged war and its severe consequences in the Gaza Strip—an area that directly borders Egypt; and second, the war’s contribution to the growing prominence of the Palestinian issue on Egypt’s national agenda, which resonates deeply within Egyptian public opinion. In this sense, this current...
The concept of victory has become increasingly politicized, particularly the notion of an “absolute victory.” At the same time, the term “decisive defeat” is widely used but rarely defined with precision. This article examines the concept of victory through a professional, military-strategic lens, differentiating it from decisive defeat. The distinction is essential for understanding Israel’s achievements in the war against Hamas and for framing public expectations, especially regarding scenarios in which Hamas may continue to exist...
The United States is determined to advance the implementation of President Donald Trump’s framework to end the war and reshape the Gaza Strip without Hamas, and with the area demilitarized of military and terrorist capabilities. The gap between the strategic objective and the challenges of implementation indicates that the success of the framework will require coercive and sustained American involvement, close coordination with Israel, and persuasive US efforts to convince moderate Arab states to take an active role in stabilizing,...
Following two tumultuous years—one of the most significant periods in the history of the State of Israel– this paper offers a preliminary assessment of the far-reaching changes brought about by the Swords of Iron War. While it is too early to fully analyze its consequences, and the war’s end remains uncertain, an interim evaluation is required. Even if fighting resumes, it will unfold under different circumstances, shaped by the lessons created by the war.
This paper reviews and analyzes the key developments of the war,...
The agreement that has been reached is a tremendous achievement for Israel. It includes what Hamas had refused until now: the immediate release of all the hostages, thereby relinquishing its principal bargaining chip before the IDF withdraws from the Gaza Strip, and a demilitarization clause that appears in the agreement—even if Hamas avoided formally accepting it. For Hamas, this clause is a double-edged sword: If it complies, it loses; if it does not, it will face political and military attacks for violating the agreement, without...
Since the outbreak of the war in Gaza, the Institute for National Security Studies has been regularly conducting public opinion surveys to assess attitudes toward key national security issues, national resilience, and public trust.[1]
Click here to download the complete survey data | Click here to view the trends among the Jewish public | Click here to view the trends among the Arab public Key Findings The IDF and the military echelon continue to enjoy high levels of public trust, while trust in the political echelon...
The future of the Trump Plan regarding the “day after” in the Gaza Strip is ambiguous and fragile. The first phase of the plan has been implemented only partially (the return of all living hostages and some of the deceased, and the implementation of IDF deployment arrangements within an expanded security perimeter—the Yellow Line), while Hamas retains control in the heart of the cities, acts to suppress any expression of opposition to its rule, and violates the agreement by dragging its feet on releasing the remaining deceased...
