The Gaza Strip nestles on a flat, sandy piece of land along the Mediterranean coast, but viewed from Jerusalem the territory resembles a quivering volcano.

Ever since Hamas, the Islamist group, took control of the strip last June, the government of Israel has struggled to come up with a Gaza strategy that matches its policy goals. With violence on the rise and the humanitarian situation in Gaza worsening by the day, Israel’s leaders are under pressure to formulate a new approach.