A long-lasting decision may still be enigmatic as the Hamas-Israel war comes to its 20th quarter and the Israeli army has previously more expanded its operations in Gaza. Previous ceasefires failed to completely stop the fighting, despite attempts by President Donald Trump’s administration.
The better the optics, in the eyes of Hamas, the more damage the Jewish military exerts on Gaza. It has continued to employ civilians as human shields despite having been sunk down in the area’s some remaining colleges and institutions.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged to take down Hamas on the Jewish part as a problem for a lasting ceasefire, both from the top and in the troubled country. Hassan rejects these requirements, which started the war on October 7, 2023, when it infiltrated Israel, killed 1,200 persons, and taken 251 more.
Israel “is ready to end the conflict, under apparent conditions that will ensure the safety of Israel: All hostages come house, Hamas lays down its arms, steps down from strength, its authority is exiled from the Strip, Gaza is completely disarmed, and we carry out the Trump plan, a plan that is so accurate and revolutionary,” Netanyahu said in a May 21 press conference outlining his conditions for permanently ending the war.
Initially, according to rumors, Netanyahu mentioned the Trump plan as a conditional ingredient for the alleged “ethnically cleansing” of Palestinians from Gaza.
Trump and his perspective for the Gaza Strip’s future may have a significant impact on when and how the conflict might stop.
Trump is putting a lot of pressure on both parties, even though he once proposed a plan to control and” Riviera” Gaza and move Gaza citizens to a different country.
The leader told reporters on May 25 that” we want to see if we may cease that, and we want to see if we can prevent that, and we want to see if we can prevent that entire situation as quickly as possible.” Forbes reported five days prior that Trump is “upset by the images of Arab children’s suffering and frustrated” by the conflict in Gaza. He wants Netanyahu to” closphemy it,” he says.
Netanyahu seems to be doing exactly the opposite. Tens of thousands of servicemen have been called up by the Israeli government in recent weeks, and many of them have been sent to Gaza. It has increased airstrikes and repeatedly ordered Gazans to flee places where Hamas is nevertheless hiding among residents.
Netanyahu’s final destination remains a mystery. His critics claim that his decision to continue the conflict despite Trump’s criticism and the majority of Israelis ‘ support for a ceasefire that may take up the victims is a purely social move. However, his stated goal has always been to end Hamas and bring up the victims.
55 % of respondents said Netanyahu’s main goal in the conflict is to stay in office, while 36 % said it’s about returning the hostages, and 9 % said they don’t know.
Gershon Baskin, a political activist and long-time critic of Netanyahu’s policies, said that” Netanyahu has no endgame.” He wants the conflict to continue because it ensures the continuation of his coalition.
Right-wingers in Netanyahu’s ruling coalition have repeatedly pledged to overthrow the government unless the prime minister commits to reoccupy Gaza militarily. Some even demand that Israel reestablish the Jewish settlements that they derooted in 2005.
Instead, according to Baskin,” the endgame should be releasing all hostages, releasing an agreed number of Palestinian prisoners, establishing a new viable and peaceful Palestinian government, ending the siege on Gaza, allowing aid and building materials in, establishing an Arab temporary military force, and establishing a political framework to ensure this is the last war.”
The prospect of an even longer, more effective Israeli military campaign in Gaza, according to David Makovsky, director of the Program on Arab-Israel Relations at the Washington Institute of Near East Policy.
What will it mean for the hostages ‘ safety, exactly? What will it mean for reservists who have stayed in Gaza for 200, 300, or 400 days? Will Trump, who is reportedly short on time, continue to focus on Israel? Makovsky said,” now there is a fatigue factor” and the understanding that hostages can be injured during Israeli attacks, even though the Israeli public has never doubted the need for Israel to fight Hamas in Gaza. The Israeli people do not want to retake Gaza, according to the statement.
Expert on Israel-U, Professor Eytan Gilboa. Israeli officials have questioned whether Netanyahu’s decision to accelerate the Israeli military campaign is Netanyahu’s last-ditch effort to strengthen Israel’s position at the table following a U.S.-facilitated ceasefire.
” Netanyahu will find it very difficult to say no” if the United States, which has been negotiating directly with Hamas, tells Netanyahu to end the war, Gilboa said. Netanyahu cites Trump as being” the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House for whatever reason.” Trump’s party is the Republican Party. Netanyahu does not enjoy the support of Democrats.
Trump wants to keep the momentum going, Gilboa said, staying up after a four-day tour to Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates and the$ 2 trillion these Gulf States promised to invest in the United States.
According to Gilboa,” Trump feels that Hamas and Netanyahu are undermining his vision and Middle East architecture.” He sees the conclusion of the Gaza war as a crucial element in the Saudis ‘ normalization of relations with Israel and the establishment of a strong Middle Eastern coalition against Iran and toward peace and prosperity.
Fortunately for Israel, the United States, several Arab nations, and the Palestinian Authority all support the end of Hamas’s rule, both militarily and politically. The question then becomes: Who will be in charge of Gaza? Gilboa predicted that the negotiations would be difficult.
Michele Chabin is a journalist whose work has appeared in the Washington Post, USA Today, Cosmopolitan, and the Washington Post.
