A Major Shift in Israel’s Strategy On June 29, 2025, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel’s decisive 12-day conflict with Iran, which concluded on June 24, has created a “window of opportunity” to address the terrorist hostage crisis in Gaza. With 50 hostages still held since Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack—only 20 of whom are believed to be alive—Netanyahu stated their release is now Israel’s top national priority. How the Iran Campaign Might Pressure Hamas Netanyahu noted that the outcome of the Iran conflict—Israel’s most significant strike against Iran’s nuclear and proxy infrastructure since the campaign began June 13—has weakened Iran’s position and its influence over Hamas: Iran’s nuclear facilities were significantly damaged, though analysts caution the setback may only delay Iran's program by a few months. Iranian-backed militant groups, collectively described as the “Axis of Resistance,” have lost strategic strength. Political isolation for Hamas may inc...