June 25, 2025 — Mounting international and domestic pressure is bearing down on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end the war in Gaza, following the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Iran after nearly two weeks of intense conflict.
The truce, confirmed by US President Donald Trump, marks a pause in hostilities that saw Israeli and US forces target Iranian nuclear facilities, triggering retaliatory missile strikes on Israel and a US base in Qatar.
“Now Gaza” — Opposition and Hostage Families Urge Action
In Israel, voices demanding peace in Gaza have grown louder. Opposition leader Yair Lapid of the Yesh Atid party posted on X, formerly Twitter:
“And now Gaza. It’s time to finish it there too. Bring back the hostages, end the war.”
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents relatives of the 251 captives taken during the October 2023 Hamas attack, echoed Lapid’s plea.
“Those who can achieve a ceasefire with Iran can also end the war in Gaza,” the group said, urging Netanyahu to resume hostage negotiations and secure a broader ceasefire.
According to Israeli military data, 49 captives remain in Gaza, with 27 confirmed dead.
Global Leaders Back Gaza Truce
Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani confirmed that Doha is seeking to resume indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas in the coming days.
“We are still continuing our efforts… God willing, we will try to look for an opportunity during the next two days,” he said.
In Europe, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz addressed lawmakers with a clear message:
“Today… the moment has come to conclude a ceasefire for Gaza.”
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s office issued a statement welcoming the Iran ceasefire and calling for it to extend to the Gaza Strip.
“We demand the completion of this step by achieving a ceasefire that includes the Gaza enclave,” it read.
A Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza
Gaza, ravaged by more than 20 months of military bombardment, remains under siege. The war has so far claimed at least 56,077 Palestinian lives, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
UN agencies warn of famine-like conditions, with civilians often killed near food distribution centers. Daily bombings and sniper fire have crippled aid efforts.
Political Opening or Missed Opportunity?
Israeli President Isaac Herzog acknowledged the truce with Iran as a chance to build national unity, though he stopped short of calling for an end to the Gaza war.
“I believe this can be a moment of goodwill and national agreement on many painful issues,” Herzog said during a visit to the site of an Iranian missile strike.
Yet for many in Israel and abroad, this moment of pause with Iran is seen as a rare political and diplomatic opening—one that could pave the way toward ending what has become one of the most destructive conflicts in recent Middle Eastern history.
