Israeli Cabinet Approves Peace Council for Gaza Amid Internal Disagreements

On July 26, the Israeli cabinet approved the establishment of a "Peace Council" for Gaza. The decision saw opposition from National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who voted against it, while Defense Ministry Minister Bezalel Smotrich supported the move despite opposition from his party colleague, Orit Strook.

During the cabinet discussion, Minister Gideon Sa'ar acknowledged the possibility of failure but emphasized the importance of not undermining the initiative. Minister Eli Aflalo recalled a previous decision to deploy international forces to Gaza contingent on the release of hostages. Ben-Gvir criticized Hamas for not fulfilling their commitments to disarm and expressed his preference for encouraging emigration from Gaza as a solution. Strook highlighted the international consensus as a positive aspect but warned that a new Gaza could become a permanent problem.

Meanwhile, fighting continues in Gaza's interior. The IDF spokesperson reported the killing of Ma'am Eid, commander of Hamas's drone unit in central Gaza, who was involved in manufacturing aerial weapons and restoring the group's air capabilities.