Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has proposed a postwar plan for the Gaza Strip that has exposed divisions within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government. The plan, which was shared during a stormy meeting of the Israeli security cabinet, calls for Israel to maintain military control of Gaza's borders while a "multinational task force" oversees reconstruction and economic development in the devastated territory. Under the plan, Gazans without ties to Hamas would handle civilian affairs, but there would be no role for the Palestinian Authority and no resettlement of Israelis in Gaza.

Gallant's proposal is seen as an attempt to find a middle ground between the postwar plans put forward by the United States and the Israeli far right. The Biden administration has called for a revamped Palestinian Authority to govern Gaza after the war, while far-right Israeli leaders have suggested that Palestinians should leave Gaza and Israelis should resettle the enclave.

The proposal has sparked internal dissent within the Israeli government. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a member of the far-right coalition, criticized Gallant's plan, suggesting that it risked a repeat of the deadly Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7. Smotrich has advocated for the voluntary emigration of Palestinians from Gaza, a stance that has been denounced by France, Germany, and the United States.

The Israeli security cabinet meeting, where Gallant's plan was presented, was described as turbulent and ended in a blowup after several ministers criticized the military's chief of staff for forming a committee to investigate the military failures that led to the October 7 attacks. The ministers questioned whether the investigation should be conducted while Israel was at war.

Prime Minister Netanyahu's governing coalition holds a fragile majority in the Parliament, and he is keen to avoid early elections. However, his popularity has suffered due to the security failures in October. The situation is further complicated by the ongoing clashes between Hezbollah and Israeli forces along the Israeli-Lebanese border.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has ruled out negotiations to stop the fighting until the war in Gaza ends. In a speech, Nasrallah warned Israelis that they would be the first to pay the price if the offensive in Gaza continues. The statement comes as Secretary of State Antony Blinken returns to the Middle East in an effort to ease escalating tensions and prevent a wider regional war.

The region remains on edge as fighting continues in Gaza, with dozens of people killed in the last 24 hours. The Hamas-run ministry of health reports that over 22,400 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the war, though the ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. Tensions also continue to simmer on the Israeli-Lebanese border, with Hezbollah vowing to avenge the killing of a Hamas official in Beirut. There have been exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah militants, raising concerns of the conflict spreading to another front.

Overall, the situation in the Middle East remains highly volatile, with divisions within the Israeli government, ongoing clashes, and the involvement of international actors. The postwar plans for Gaza and the escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah pose significant challenges to diplomatic efforts in the region.