logo
Israel and Hamas have different reasons for pursuing Gaza deal

Israel and Hamas have different reasons for pursuing Gaza deal

Mint2 days ago
If Israel and Hamas complete negotiations brokered by the U.S., Qatar and Egypt, they would pause the nearly two-year-old war in Gaza, free Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and allow more humanitarian aid into the hunger-striken enclave.
Israel's military campaign against Iran last month has given Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a window to negotiate. The strikes on Iran followed more than a year in which Israel went on the offensive against Iran's allies, weakening Lebanon's Hezbollah movement and contributing to the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria.
The Iran war, which set back Tehran's nuclear program and demonstrated Israel's military superiority over its main adversary in the region, could allow Netanyahu to push back on his right-wing coalition partners, who have threatened to abandon the government if he ends the war in Gaza.
In Gaza, Hamas is under pressure from Palestinians demanding a reprieve from the crisis after more than three months in which Israel has restricted food and other supplies allowed into the enclave. Israel has also killed a series of top Hamas leaders in recent months. The Islamist group is also facing a cash crunch that is making it harder for it to pay its rank and file.
The new proposal calls for a temporary, 60-day cease-fire that would buy time for mediators to attempt to broker a permanent end to the war, which could prove far more difficult than a temporary pause. Israel and Hamas have paused fighting twice before, in November 2023 and in January.
'It's not his preference, but Netanyahu has some interest in saying, OK I now have a new victory narrative after Iran," said Daniel Levy, a former Israeli official and negotiator. 'He can only begin to test the waters on whether that gives him a pronounced-enough political bounce if he goes into a temporary cease-fire."
Hamas on Friday accepted the framework of the proposed two-month cease-fire, saying it was ready to enter 'serious negotiations" toward implementing the proposal.
The current framework calls for a cease-fire that would trigger U.S.-backed negotiations to end the war. The proposal, put together by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff along with mediators from Egypt and Qatar, includes the exchange of 10 living Israeli hostages for a larger number of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
That formula—similar to language used in the January cease-fire and in months of negotiations since—is designed to bridge the positions of Israel, which doesn't want to commit up front to a permanent end to the war, and Hamas, which has demanded a guaranteed end to the war.
Some questions would have to be resolved in a final round of indirect negotiations before a cease-fire could be declared. Among other issues, the manner and extent of Israeli military redeployments in Gaza and the quantities and delivery mechanism for humanitarian aid would have to be hammered out, according to officials and observers of the talks.
Pressure from the Trump administration will also play an important role. Netanyahu is set to meet President Trump in Washington on Monday. The Israeli security cabinet is expected to discuss the possible cease-fire agreement during a meeting on Saturday night.
Netanyahu has been under political pressure since Hamas's attack on Oct. 7, 2023, which killed some 1,200 people and seized another 250 hostages. Netanyahu has sought to increase his chances of remaining in power after a public outcry over the security and intelligence failures that led to the attack, political analysts say. Netanyahu has for years advocated for a hawkish policy on Iran including possible military action.
'He can't ignore the claim that he'd made for so long, which is, if you remove the Iranian threat, then a whole new vista opens up for what you can do in this region," Levy said.
To capitalize on the Israeli public's broad support for the attack on Iran, Netanyahu is considering calling snap elections, according to a person close to the Netanyahu family. But he's still facing an uphill battle. He was already a divisive figure in Israel when his popularity took a massive hit after the Hamas attack. Before the Iranian offensive, polls showed that his current coalition would lose power if an election was held now.
Also, families of the hostages have been taking to the streets for months, calling for an end to the war and a deal to bring home their relatives. The current proposal calls for Hamas to release 10 of the around 20 hostages Israel believes are still alive, along with bodies of some of the roughly 30 deceased hostages.
Israel is also facing diplomatic pressure from allies to end the fighting in Gaza and ease the humanitarian crisis there.
Israel's war against Hamas has reduced much of Gaza to rubble and killed more than 57,000 Palestinians, according to local health authorities, who don't say how many were combatants.
In Gaza, Hamas is under pressure to accept a cease-fire from Palestinians who have had enough of the hunger and ever-present threat of airstrikes from Israeli forces.
'The biggest pressure on Hamas for whatever is being put on offer, even just a momentary pause that can allow some aid in, is enough to potentially make them now sign on, if that can offer Gazans some reprieve," said Tahani Mustafa, a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group.
Israel has in recent months sidestepped aid operations led by the United Nations and instead backed a private aid-delivery system in which Israeli soldiers and armed American private contractors are protecting aid distribution hubs. The food has often run out quickly and there is often chaotic overcrowding at sites.
Israeli military spokesman Effie Defrin said Thursday the military would soon complete the current phase of its operation in Gaza. Hamas is in a weakened position in Gaza after the elimination of much of its leadership, Defrin said. The group is now on its third leader in eight months.
Write to Jared Malsin at jared.malsin@wsj.com
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Iranian Foreign Minister thanks BRICS for condemning military strikes
Iranian Foreign Minister thanks BRICS for condemning military strikes

Hans India

time7 minutes ago

  • Hans India

Iranian Foreign Minister thanks BRICS for condemning military strikes

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi on Monday expressed gratitude to the BRICS bloc for condemning recent "Israeli and US strikes" on the country during the ongoing 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro. "Iran is grateful for the strong and unequivocal condemnation by BRICS of the recent Israeli and US military aggression. In no uncertain terms, the deliberate attacks on Iranian civilian infrastructure and nuclear sites under IAEA safeguards violate both international law and norms, the influential group of countries agree," the Iranian Foreign Minister posted on X. "Here at the BRICS Summit in Rio, where representatives of states making up 40 per cent of global GDP and almost half the world's population have gathered, the tectonic economic and political shifts our planet is witnessing have never been more apparent. Iran welcomes and is delighted to be part of the dawn of a new era," the post added. The remarks came after the 'Rio de Janeiro Declaration', adopted during the first day's proceedings at the 17th BRICS Summit on Sunday, condemned the recent military strikes against Iran, without directly naming the United States and Israel. "We condemn the military strikes against the Islamic Republic of Iran since 13 June 2025, which constitute a violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations, and express grave concern over the subsequent escalation of the security situation in the Middle East. We further express serious concern over deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure and peaceful nuclear facilities under full safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in violation of international law and relevant resolutions of the IAEA," the declaration mentioned. "Nuclear safeguards, safety, and security must always be upheld, including in armed conflicts, to protect people and the environment from harm. In this context, we reiterate our support for diplomatic initiatives aimed at addressing regional challenges. We call upon the United Nations Security Council to be seized of this matter," it added. Araghchi is in Rio de Janeiro to attend the BRICS Summit, where he plans to meet his counterparts and other high-level participants from other BRICS member states. "We arrive in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to attend the 17th BRICS summit where FM Araghchi will also be meeting his counterparts and other high-level participants from BRICS' member States. The motto 'Inclusive and Sustainable Global South' should be pursued through enhanced cooperation among BRICS' member countries," the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said in a post on X.

Houthis say launched missiles, drones on Israel in response to Yemeni port attack
Houthis say launched missiles, drones on Israel in response to Yemeni port attack

Hans India

time8 minutes ago

  • Hans India

Houthis say launched missiles, drones on Israel in response to Yemeni port attack

Yemen's Houthi group launched hypersonic ballistic missiles and drones on Israeli targets on Monday before dawn, four hours after Israeli warplanes and battleships struck three Red Sea ports and a power station. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said in a statement aired by Houthi-run al-Masirah TV that the group launched eleven missiles and drones, with missiles targeting Ben Gurion Airport, the Ashdod Port, a power station in Ashkelon, and eight drones targeting the Eilat Port. Sarea claimed that "the missiles and drones successfully reached their targets, and that the interceptor systems failed to intercept them". The Houthi spokesperson said the group is "fully prepared for a sustained and prolonged confrontation," reaffirming that its attacks against Israel would continue until the "war on Gaza stops and the blockade is lifted". The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said that the Houthis launched two missiles toward Israel early Monday, triggering sirens in Jerusalem, the Judean Desert, the Dead Sea area, and several settlements in the occupied West Bank. Israel's Magen David Adom emergency service reported no injuries. "Attempts were made to intercept the missiles, and the results of the interception are under review," said the Israeli military. The retaliation attack came hours after Israeli fighter jets struck Houthi-controlled sites in Yemen, including the ports of Hodeidah, Ras Isa, and As Salif, and the Ras Qantib power station. The strikes also targeted the Galaxy Leader Vessel, seized by the Houthis in November 2023. The IDF accused the Houthis of installing radar on the vessel to monitor ships in the Red Sea and claimed that the Houthis used those three civilian ports to smuggle Iranian missiles and drones that the Houthis fired against Israel. Iran and the Houthis have repeatedly denied such allegations. According to the IDF, about 20 jets fired more than 50 bombs and missiles in the operation. Also on Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei strongly condemned Israel's strikes on Yemen, describing them as "flagrant crimes" against Yemen's people and the Arab state's economic and public infrastructure, Xinhua news agency reported. Israel has carried out several airstrikes on strategic targets in Yemen in recent months. The Houthi group, which controls much of northern Yemen, has been targeting Israeli cities and ships in the Red Sea since November 2023 to show solidarity with the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.

Israel's wars: 12 days for Iran, 2 weeks for Hezbollah, 21 months and counting for Hamas in Gaza
Israel's wars: 12 days for Iran, 2 weeks for Hezbollah, 21 months and counting for Hamas in Gaza

First Post

time29 minutes ago

  • First Post

Israel's wars: 12 days for Iran, 2 weeks for Hezbollah, 21 months and counting for Hamas in Gaza

The war against Hamas continues despite Israel's military control over much of the Gaza Strip. This stands in contrast to Israel's eight-week-long cross-border conflict to contain Hezbollah and its 12-day air campaign against Iran read more Advertisement Smoke rises following an Israeli attack in Tehran, Iran. File image/ Reuters Israel's recent wars with Iran and Hezbollah, both of which lasted significantly shorter periods of time, are being compared to the country's war in Gaza, which is currently in its 21st month. The war against Hamas continues despite Israel's military control over much of the Gaza Strip. This stands in contrast to Israel's eight-week-long cross-border conflict to contain Hezbollah and its 12-day air campaign against Iran. The war in Gaza has continued with multiple large-scale ground operations, multiple airstrikes, and two temporary ceasefires since Hamas launched its offensive on October 7, 2023. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Efforts to destroy Hamas's infrastructure have persisted in spite of mounting humanitarian concerns and international scrutiny, and neither truce has produced a sustainable solution. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) are in control of strategic regions in northern and central Gaza, but they have not yet announced a definitive victory. Israeli officials have pointed to the difficulty of combating a long-standing militant organisation that uses guerrilla warfare and tunnels to infiltrate civilian areas. The war in Gaza has taken on a protracted, urban character with no obvious end goal, in contrast to the air-based campaign against Iran or the more conventional military exchanges with Hezbollah. The prospects of a new ceasefire agreement, efforts to recover the remaining hostages, and possible frameworks for post-war governance in Gaza are likely to be the main topics of discussion between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during their meeting this evening. Netanyahu's visit to Washington comes amid renewed diplomatic efforts involving the US, Egypt, and Qatar. At the same time, worries remain about the lack of a workable political solution. Analysts say that Hamas is much weaker now, but it is not gone. Israeli forces are still on the ground because there is no new government in Gaza. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The difference between Israel's short fights with Iran and Hezbollah and its long campaign in Gaza shows how hard asymmetric warfare is and how hard it is for Israeli leaders to make strategic decisions.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store