I think the Likud is in a no-win situation right now with the Gaza issue.

If Netanyahu does not respond in any significant way, he will be seen as capitulating to terror. Netanyahu's image as Mr Security will take a big hit.

If Netanyahu responds harshly, he will easily be attacked and portrayed as playing it up for the elections even though he usually does not. he will also be attacked for treating rocket/missile attacks on the center of the country differently than the way he treats such attacks on the communities surrounding Gaza.

If Netanyahu responds, as he often does, by only striking empty buildings and the like in Gaza, he opens himself up to more criticism as treating the center differently than the communities around Gaza, but also to taking a hit to his Mr Security image as his opponents could play it up as another superficial response.

And of course, if Netanyahu sends Hamas another $15,000,000 cash of Qatari money, as he has done previously even after attacks, that will be disastrous for the Likud.

Hopefully, however Netanyahu and the government decide to respond and in whatever way, it will be for the right reasons with careful consideration and not just based on a calculation of how it will play out in the elections. Even taking into account that the response might hurt them personally in the elections. If they respond for the right reasons, and the people will probably be able to recognize whether it was or was not the right reasons, the people will respond in kind, but that should not be the consideration. Military operations are a serious thing and must be done for security reasons alone and only taking security concerns into account.