WhatsappDespite President Trump’s rhetoric during his open meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu, claiming a deal between Hamas and Israel is close, Hamas leadership is still making demands that are sure to tank the talks.
In the latest response to the ceasefire proposal, Hamas wants UNRWA to be back in charge of aid distribution instead of the American backed GHF. This is of course is a non-starter for Israel and probably the Trump administration. Even if this is bridged there are many other small things to square before a ceasefire is declared.
“On a hostage deal, we are coordinated…We hope it will lead to a breakthrough. Hamas’s response to the Qatari proposal was, in essence, no. But the gaps are small enough for us to enter talks with them, and we hoped the answer would be yes, and then it would take a few days. It can take more time, but we are working on it,” Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, who took part in the White House meeting, told reporters after the dinner.
Qatar released a statement about the talks:
“I don’t think that I can give any timeline at the moment, but I can say right now that we will need time for this,” Majed Al-Ansari told a Doha news conference. “What is happening right now is that both delegations are in Doha. We are speaking with them separately on a framework for the talks. So talks have not begun, as of yet, but we are talking to both sides over that framework.”
Despite the ceasefire talks, IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin announced that the IDF is surrounding Beit Hanoun in Northern Gaza from all sides.
“Beit Hanoun is a fortified area, where dozens of terrorists still remain. There are still many underground tunnels that we must demolish,” he said. “We will continue to attack and clear the area to remove the threat to the residents of the western Negev.”
Deal or No Deal, What’s Going On?
Hamas clearly would want a deal as they are collapsing, with little or no leadership on the ground left. However, if they don’t get UNRWA back in and Israel to back off enough, then they will be giving up hostages just to see Israel go in and finish them off. For it’s part Israel understands that Hamas is on its last legs. With the GHF running and out flanking Hamas in regards to aid distribution and several clans now working with the IDF to exert control in areas where Hamas has vacated, it is only a matter of time.
Despite the push for a deal, there appears to be a strategy by both President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu to run out the clock allowing the IDF to inflict the type of pain on Hamas, that even with a ceasefire – they won’t recover from.
Even if there is a ceasefire signed by Israel, clans like Abu Shabab are not a party to it and can continue to fight and exert control over areas once ruled by Hamas. 60 days a long time for Hamas to fend for itself against IDF backed locals hunting for Hamas fighters.
Hamas knows all of this and it also knows if it can’t get a good enough deal for a ceasefire then it would rather stand firm, forcing the IDF to establish full military control over the Gaza Strip and continue to fight an asymmetrical war. The terror group won’t win at the end, but it will go down fighting.
