Within the next 48 hours, Jerusalem is expected to make a pivotal decision: if Hamas fails to release the hostages, Israel may proceed with the formal annexation of parts of Gaza.

Unlike military operations, which can be reversed or scaled back at any time, annexation is effectively permanent. Under Israeli law, undoing annexation requires either a supermajority of 80 Knesset members or a national referendum—making it a politically entrenched move that would be extremely difficult to reverse. Once annexed, the territory is unlikely to be returned without a major political battle.