
Despite ceasefire, renewing Gaza offensive is inevitable
Contrary to President Trump’s assessment, it appears the recent ceasefire and hostage deal will not bring an end to the war. A senior Palestinian official: ‘Gaza is like a million Jenin camps.’
The emerging conclusion amidst the ongoing hostage deal is that a renewed ground maneuver in Gaza to overthrow Hamas’ rule is inevitable. This conclusion, drawn from discussions with political and security officials, contradicts last week’s reports that Trump views the current deal as the war’s end. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is working to reconcile this contradiction with Trump during their upcoming meeting, which Netanyahu is pushing to expedite.
A senior Saudi diplomat stated, “The disaster Hamas has brought upon the Palestinians in Gaza is irreversible, and they must relinquish power. Hamas’ extremists fail to grasp this—they have no regard for human life or their people’s needs, and thus, they must be uprooted.”
The Palestinian Authority (PA) also firmly opposes any Hamas involvement in Gaza after the war. PLO Executive Committee member Rawhi Fattouh delivered a clear message to Egypt during a visit to Cairo two weeks ago, stating that “Hamas follows an Iranian agenda of instability and chaos.” The PA’s position is that Hamas must pay the price for the events of October 7 and go into exile. A senior Palestinian official added that while the PA dismantled rogue organizations in the Jenin refugee camp, it cannot do so in Gaza: “Gaza is like a million Jenin refugee camps.”
Professor Kobi Michael, a senior researcher at INSS, stated that “ensuring a stable security environment requires the complete dismantling of Hamas’ governmental and military apparatus.” According to Michael, the lessons of the Oslo process demonstrate that full authority over reconstruction cannot be entrusted to the Palestinians. Instead, he emphasized the need to “shatter the Palestinian struggle’s narrative” and move beyond the familiar two-state paradigm.
Hamas’ removal can occur in one of two ways. The first option involves an agreement that would send Hamas leaders into exile in countries like Algeria, Tunisia, or Turkey and include the complete disarmament of Hamas operatives. While some Hamas figures might entertain such discussions, leaders like Muhammad Sinwar and his allies are not inclined in this direction. The recent deal has provided them with a reprieve, and they are portraying a narrative of victory, amplified by much of the Arab media, especially Al Jazeera, which has become a staunch Hamas supporter.
See Also:
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