We are 90 days in since the horrible October 7 massacre where Hamas terrorists infiltrated Israel, murdered 1,200 civilians and soldiers, and kidnapped more than 230 hostages. It is supposed that over 100 hostages who remain in Hamas captivity are still alive.
The terror group had rejected two offers for humanitarian pauses, demanding instead that Israel halt military operations in Gaza before it discusses a potential deal (something Israel will not do). While the terror group recently announced that it is ready to begin talking, the question remains why Hamas thinks it is even in a position to dictate any terms of a ceasefire.
Hamas wants a permanent ceasefire
Knowing that there is no way to get out of this, Hamas is doing everything it can to dictate terms for a permanent ceasefire, with its senior leaders stating that it is no longer interested in “a pause here and there, for one week, two weeks, three weeks.”
Israel’s former national security adviser, Meir Ben-Shabbat, wrote that Hamas now “feels confident enough” to reject any deal that doesn’t outright prevent the group’s destruction.
Hamas leaders may be naive, but they have a valid basis for their confidence. After all, you have had ignorant or outright terror supporters who have been chanting for a “ceasefire now” since the start of the war. Knowing that they have this level of support, why wouldn’t these terrorists allow the suffering of their people to continue to save their necks?
Apart from the pro-Hamas rallies and the countries who voted at the United Nations for a ceasefire (which failed to hold Hamas accountable for its war crimes and failed to call for the group to lay down its arms and surrender), under Biden Administration pressure, Israel is now using less firepower, in preparation for stage 3.
The war is entering a new phase
Stage 3 refers to a point where the “main war” is over, but the IDF will continue operating in Gaza on more targeted, on-the-ground, anti-terror operations. This will mean reduced air strikes and artillery power, which means we will see less destruction in Gaza and a reduction in civilian casualties. While this is a good thing, it also poses a severe problem for our troops on the ground who remain in Gaza in areas that have not been entirely subdued. Hamas is notorious for booby-trapping areas of Gaza by placing weapons in public areas and dressing in civilian clothes so that they can move around, blend into the group unarmed, and hide as civilians without drawing attention to themselves.
For the IDF to fight these tactics with less air support is dangerous, and while we desperately want to see fewer casualties and destruction in Gaza, we cannot enter this phase prematurely.
Knowing that the White House is now pressuring Israel to “transition to the next phase of the operations,” Hamas terrorists have realized that the group still has a fighting chance of maintaining its survival.
This is why Hamas has rejected Israel’s request to release some 40 hostages, including the remaining women and children, as well as elderly male hostages who require urgent medical care. Hamas thinks that if it delays using its last bargaining chips as much as possible while comfortably hiding in its terror tunnels, eventually, Israel will have to give in to international pressure.
Hostages seem to be the top priority
THE SUFFERING our nation has experienced in the last three months has been more overwhelming than I thought possible.
I have interviewed multiple families whose loved ones are still captives in Gaza, and I am ready to give up anything for the safe return of all the hostages. Conversely, Palestinian society overwhelmingly supports Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), and other radical groups. I do not want to see more death and destruction in Gaza. As a human, I am far from able to objectively talk about all this suffering because I, like everyone else in Israel, want this all to stop.
However, I know that a future in which terrorism continues to govern Gaza cannot be an option. Those calling for a ceasefire or trying to pressure Israel into entering a phase in which Hamas has opportunities to ambush our soldiers (something it has pre-planned) are calling for terror to have the upper hand.
An endgame where Iranian proxies continue to rain hell on Palestinians and Israelis would be nothing but a disaster for the region’s security and for any hope of peace.
We have lost too many lives and suffered too much to go back to the status quo of before October 7. While war is more terrible than anything, Western leaders and so-called “human rights activists” should not be pressuring Israel into a reality where Hamas regains de facto control of Gaza.
The writer is a social media activist with more than 10 years of experience working for Israeli and Jewish causes and cause-based NGOs. She is co-founder and COO of Social Lite Creative, a digital marketing firm specializing in geopolitics.