A viral video of Israeli soldiers in disarray under fire has exposed more than military panic — it has revealed a deep internal crisis. In an analysis published by The Middle East Monitor, journalist and author Ramzy Baroud breaks down how the footage symbolizes a growing power struggle within "Israel’s" leadership amid its war on Gaza.

Broadcast by Channel 12 on April 22, the footage shows occupation forces screaming, stumbling down stairs, hiding behind walls, and firing erratically, exposing a level of panic rarely seen in Israeli media coverage.

مشاهد متداولة لاشتباك مقاوم فلسطيني مع جنود الاحتلال الإسرائيلي في قطاع #غزة من مسافة صفر.#الميادين #فلسطين pic.twitter.com/MEQi8kqFrP

— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) April 22, 2025

The decision to air such damaging content, despite strict military censorship, has been interpreted as a deliberate move in the escalating political war between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other power centers within the occupation entity.

Intelligence, military leadership schism

At the core of the fallout is increasing dissent within "Israel’s" military and intelligence circles over Netanyahu’s embattled government, as per Baroud.

On April 21, Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar submitted two documents to the Supreme Court — one of which was made public — in which he accused Netanyahu of firing him over his refusal to show political loyalty, particularly regarding criminal investigations involving Netanyahu’s aides.

This public accusation was seen as a breach of protocol and, effectively, a call for Netanyahu’s removal.

Nadav Argaman, former Shin Bet head, echoed these concerns weeks earlier in an interview for Channel 12, warning that he would expose everything he knows if Netanyahu “acts unlawfully”. The coordination among security leaders marks an unprecedented shift, indicating the scale of the internal mutiny.

Gallant’s revelation, strategic media leaks

Adding fuel to the fire, former Security Minister Yoav Gallant, himself named in ICC investigations, publicly denounced Netanyahu's Gaza policy as a “moral disgrace”. Gallant also revealed that in August 2023, "Israel" fabricated images of a Hamas tunnel to justify its continued occupation of the Philadelphi Corridor and sabotage a potential ceasefire.

In Baroud's view, these revelations coincided with the public release of the video from Khan Younis, suggesting a strategic effort to discredit Netanyahu’s handling of the war.

War casualties, refusals in ranks

Another factor driving the elite revolt is the concealment of true casualty figures. While the Israeli occupation forces have tried to downplay losses in Gaza, internal leaks, some reportedly sanctioned by the military, suggest the aim is to pressure Netanyahu to end the war. Reports now indicate that nearly half of "Israel’s" military reservists are refusing to return to the battlefield.

Further intensifying speculation, Eyal Zamir, Netanyahu’s own appointment to replace Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, acknowledged in February that "5,942 Israeli families had joined the list of bereaved families" in 2024 alone. Zamir, who previously called for an extended military campaign, appears to now favour restraint.

A fractured entity

The Gaza genocide has not only shattered the occupation's image abroad but also laid bare its deep internal fractures. What was once portrayed as a unified, democratic regime is now revealed as a splintered power structure where political, military, and intelligence factions are locked in open conflict.

Former officials, including Gallant, are now hinting at civil disobedience to remove Netanyahu from power, as the crisis continues to deepen.

This unraveling, long concealed by media discipline and diplomatic messaging, offers, as the analysis suggests, a rare glimpse into the instability at the heart of the entity responsible for the ongoing war on Gaza and decades of occupation in Palestine.