Global outrage won't deter Netanyahu from Gaza occupation

Public opinion polls in Israel currently indicate that a clear majority of Israelis favour an immediate end to the war to secure the release of the remaining 50 hostages held by militants in Gaza. Israeli officials believe about 20 hostages are still alive.

The mounting public opposition to Netanyahu's prosecution of the war has also resulted in hundreds of retired Israeli security officials, including former heads of the country's intelligence agencies, writing to US President Donald Trump to pressure Israel to end the war.

"It is our professional judgement that Hamas no longer poses a strategic threat to Israel," a group of around 600 Israeli officials wrote.

"Your credibility with the vast majority of Israelis augments your ability to steer Prime Minister (Benjamin) Netanyahu and his government in the right direction: End the war, return the hostages, stop the suffering."

Read more: Israelis are finally fed up with Netanyahu's endless war on Gaza

Mounting criticism

French President Emmanuel Macron has emerged as one of the most high-profile critics of Netanyahu's Gaza policy after he condemned Israel's plans to expand its offensive in Gaza as a "disaster" and a move towards a "never-ending war".

"The Israeli cabinet's announcement of an expansion of its operations in Gaza City and the Mawasi camps and for a re-occupation heralds a disaster of unprecedented gravity waiting to happen and of a move towards a never-ending war," the French leader said in response to Netanyahu's announcement.

"The Israeli hostages and the people of Gaza will continue to be the primary victims of this strategy," added Mr Macron, who last month pledged to recognise Palestinian statehood.

Netanyahu's strategy has also prompted protests to erupt across the globe. Protests took place in Northern Ireland's capital, Belfast and the Republic of Ireland's capital, Dublin, while vigils were held in Berlin, Germany and the Netherlands. Earlier demonstrations took place in Washington, DC, as well as London, Oslo and Stockholm.

Further inflaming global rage was Israel's targeted killing of five Al Jazeera journalists in a drone strike on the grounds of Al Shifa hospital in Gaza City.

However, the mounting opposition hasn't seemed to faze Netanyahu, who could be banking on the fact that neither the International Court of Justice's ruling that Israel is committing a plausible genocide in Gaza nor the International Criminal Court warrants for his arrest have yielded little real consequences for him or his government.