Israel is moving forward with a controversial ceasefire deal in Lebanon that reportedly has now inspired Hamas to express interest in coming back to the negotiation table with Israel for their own truce in the Gaza war.
Advertisement
Initially, Hezbollah and Hamas had sworn that neither would sign a truce or stop fighting unless hostilities ceased in both areas simultaneously. Hamas attacked Israel from Gaza on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 men, women, and children and taking 251 people hostage. Then, on Oct. 8, Hezbollah attacked Israel’s north, joining the conflict. In November of 2023, Israel was successful in securing the release of 105 of the hostages, but Hamas refused to release the rest. Reports say the hostage exchange deal broke apart because Hamas denied the release of the last children, Ariel and Kfir Bibas, who were ages four years old and nine months old at the time of their abduction. Since then, Israel has attempted numerous negotiations with the terrorists and often agreed to almost all of their demands, only for Hamas to move the goalpost again.
Israel says it is significant that they were able to separate a deal with Hezbollah from a deal with Hamas, something that previously was not on the table.
The nature of the conflict in the North has been different since hostages were not involved, but nonetheless, Hezbollah has been bent on destroying Israel, and many Israelis have been displaced from their homes for months due to safety concerns. Netanyahu has been given unfair lines not to cross at almost every step of this war. After trying to do it “the world’s way” for a bit, Israel shifted gears and started doing what they knew needed to be done, and it has brought both Hezbollah and Hamas down to the point of significant defeat, even if the war isn’t over yet.
Advertisement
One of the key reasons that Israel is able to come to a deal now with Lebanon is the fact that hostages are not involved, and Hezbollah has been significantly battered. Between Israel taking out their leader of 32 years, Hassan Nasrallah, as well as his “replacement, and the replacement of the replacement.”, combined with the impressive intelligence infiltration of the pager attack and the intensive pummeling of Hezbollah’s most loyal communities, forcing hundreds of thousands to flee, many of whom now have no home to return to, Hezbollah has been hit harder than they could have ever imagined. It makes sense for them to surrender.
President-elect Donald Trump’s election victory sent shockwaves through the world. He has selected the most pro-Israel appointments possibly this nation has ever seen. He has vowed vengeance on Hamas if the hostages are released before he takes office. Immediately after he won the election, Qatar forced the Hamas leaders out of their country. If Hamas isn’t worried about how this war will change for them when he takes office, they aren’t thinking clearly. But we know that isn’t the case. We know they are worried.
Hamas has proven that they don’t make decisions based on what’s wise. If that were the case, they would have accepted a truce many months ago. Their ideology is so pervasive that they don’t care what they lose as long as they don’t allow Israel to win. In their mind, they are willing to trade the death of their own leaders, multitudes of men, women, and children, the destruction of their military infrastructures that took billions of dollars and years to make, and even the risk of losing their sovereignty as a state and government solely to continue to hold 101 hostages from Israel, like a stab in the heart. These are people who have nothing to fight for but blind hate. But even for lunatics, time runs out.
Advertisement
Netanyahu vows that pressure will increase on Gaza now that attention is not divided between the north and the south.
It is unclear who would mediate a deal if Hamas is serious. Qatar has resigned as a mediator. The Hamas leaders have relocated to Turkey, but Turkey claims they are remaining uninvolved. In Israel, far-right leaders are warning they will veto any deal that would release more prisoners like Sinwar. Hamas has toyed with Israel so many times before that they will have to show more than words to bring them back to the table. This time, Israel is in the position to accept only a deal that works for them, and they don’t ask for much: They just want their people.
