Those calling for an end to the fighting between Israel and Hamas had no idea that until the morning of October 7, when thousands of terrorists invaded Israel and killed, beheaded, raped and mutilated hundreds of people. Apparently forgetting that there was a truce between the two parties. Israeli. The terrorists also kidnapped more than 240 people, half of whom are still held hostage in the Gaza Strip.
It was Hamas, not Israel, that broke the ceasefire. This war was not started by Israel. The war was forced on Israel, who had no choice but to remove the terrorist threat from its border with the Gaza Strip. There is consensus that this is one of the most justified wars since 1948. This is a war to protect our country.
That is why it will be very difficult to find Israelis who support the idea of a ceasefire or hudna (temporary truce) that would allow Hamas to remain in power. For these Israelis, a ceasefire amounts to a victory for Hamas. If the war were to end without the complete destruction of Hamas, many Arabs would see it as a defeat for Israel and a victory for Iran and its terrorist proxies, including Hamas.
For Israelis, ceasefire equals victory for Hamas
More than 100 days after the outbreak of the war, Hamas leaders are more determined than ever that Israel will achieve the war’s twin goals of ending Hamas’ control over the Gaza Strip and freeing the remaining hostages. He seems to be starting to understand that he has a strong determination. They are also beginning to realize that this war is different from all previous fighting between Israel and Hamas. These mini-wars were time-limited and always ended in ceasefires brokered by Egypt and Qatar.
It is safe to assume that Hamas is interested in a ceasefire this time, as it has been in the past. But Hamas wants a permanent ceasefire to end the war and allow the terrorist group to maintain power. In other words, Hamas is saying, “Let’s go back to the days before October 7, when there was a ceasefire.” Leaders are no longer talking about a temporary ceasefire. They are very worried about losing control over the Gaza Strip, which they are looking for ways to end the war. Israel cannot afford this for a variety of reasons.
First, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have not yet destroyed most of Hamas’ military infrastructure. Second, approximately 9,000 Hamas members have been killed since the start of the war, but an additional 15,000 to 20,000 terrorists are believed to be active in various parts of the Gaza Strip. Third, Israel has not yet released the hostages, and the only way to do so seems to be increased military pressure.
Hamas has not called for a ceasefire, fearing an increase in Palestinian casualties. If he cared about the well-being and safety of the Palestinian people, he would not have launched a genocidal attack against Israel. If he cared about his constituents, he would have built bomb shelters for them instead of building tunnels for their leaders.
Recently, Hamas official Moussa Abu Marzouk said, “The underground tunnels built in the Gaza Strip are meant to protect Hamas’ fighters, and the responsibility for protecting civilians lies with the United Nations and Israel.” Ta. Such statements demonstrate Hamas’s leaders’ indifference to the suffering of their own people. And no word yet on the tens of millions of dollars terrorist organizations have invested in stockpiling weapons and digging tunnels in exchange for building schools and hospitals and providing work opportunities.
Hamas official says UN and Israel must protect civilians
Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, one of the masterminds of the October 7 massacre, is said to hold the key to ending the war with Israel. He is the only one who can end the war by freeing all the Israeli hostages and ordering his men to surrender. But Sinwar, who speaks fluent Hebrew, is well aware that this may be his last battle. As someone who is said to be closely monitoring news from Israel, he has heard voices from Israelis calling for his removal.
Still, it is unlikely that the hostages will be released unconditionally. It is also unrealistic to expect a psychopath like Shinwar to instruct Hamas terrorists to lay down their weapons and hand them over to the IDF.
His only hope now is that international pressure will force Israel to accept an end to the war. American and European officials, who have repeatedly urged Israel to agree to a cease-fire before achieving its goals, are actually telling Sinwar and other Hamas leaders that Israel will eventually submit because It’s sending a reassuring message that it’s worth holding back a little longer. pressure.
As Hamas sees many Western countries and officials pressuring Israel to end the war, the terrorist organization hardens its stance and makes further demands. If until recently it was willing to accept a temporary ceasefire, it is now demanding an absolute end to the war and a complete withdrawal of Israeli Defense Forces from Gaza. Furthermore, Hamas is now taking the bold step of demanding international guarantees that it will remain in power and that Israel will not target its leaders.
It is no wonder, then, that Hamas leaders rejected a recent Israeli proposal for a two-month pause in fighting in exchange for the release of the hostages. According to the proposal, Israel was even prepared to release a large number of Palestinian prisoners. Yet Hamas reportedly declined the offer because it still dreams of returning to the pre-October 7 status quo.
It is also essential to understand the broader significance and possible consequences. Israel cannot afford to end the war before deterrence is restored. Since October 7, Israel has been considered weak and vulnerable. The enemy is convinced that the countdown to Israel’s destruction has begun. Absent an absolute victory over Hamas, a ceasefire would send the wrong message to its Iranian patrons, who pose an existential threat to Israel and its proxies across the region, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (Palestinian Islamic Jihad). PIJ), is actively collaborating with the Houthis. .
Israel must restore deterrence
If the international community is truly interested in ending the war in Gaza, it should put pressure on Hamas, not Israel. Those calling for a ceasefire should at least demand that Hamas release all hostages immediately and unconditionally. They should also demand that terrorist organizations disarm and relinquish control over the Gaza Strip’s 2 million Palestinians. Israelis will not accept a ceasefire or an end to the war that moves Hamas terrorists hundreds of yards from their homes and communities.
The international community still does not seem to understand that the Israel of today is not the Israel of October 6th. Israelis have learned by painful experience that a cease-fire deal has a nasty way of blowing up in their faces.
The author works in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and is a former senior advisor to the Israeli ambassador to the UAE. She is an Abraham Accords expert and strategy and communications consultant for the MENA region.