Why it matters:
During the Gaza war, although Israel has repeatedly claimed to have destroyed Hamas in Gaza, the group has returned to those areas. The Wall Street Journal, citing analysts and Israeli military officials, Hamas lost thousands of fighters and many of its senior commanders, but has found many new forces among the large population of young men in Gaza.
The big picture:
Following the beginning of a ceasefire in Gaza after 15 months of war and the failure of the Israeli regime to achieve its predetermined goals, many around the world acknowledged the defeat of the Israeli regime. Former Pentagon advisor Jasmine El-Gamal emphasizes that military strategies alone will not dismantle Hamas, suggesting that a more nuanced approach involving negotiations and concessions is necessary.
What she's saying:
Jasmine El-Gamal stated in a recent CNN interview: “Hamas as an organization, as an ideology, cannot be destroyed militarily.”
She pointed out that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seems to be sidestepping discussions about “Israel’s willingness to go into – enter into good faith negotiations over phase two.”
El-Gamal highlighted that “Phase two is where Israel is going to have to make significant concessions that go completely against what Netanyahu’s right-wing extremist coalition partners want, which is a withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and a commitment to a permanent end of the war.”
Key Points:
- An Israeli delegation is set to travel to Doha, Qatar, to initiate discussions on a second phase of the ceasefire agreement, although opposition leader Yair Lapid has called for the delegation to be fully authorized to finalize the deal, suggesting internal disagreements.
Go deeper:
The Israeli regime agreed to the ceasefire partly due to the captives being held by Hamas. By accepting this ceasefire to secure their release, Israel faced a defeat in the recent Gaza conflict.
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