3 days ago
Israeli PM Binyamin Netanyahu may be running out of ideas
Israel
's education minister Yoav Kish, in an interview with the Kan public broadcaster on Monday morning, said there was 'zero chance' of freeing the hostages via a ceasefire with Hamas.
His comments sent the families of the 50 hostages, particularly those of the 20 still believed to be alive, now in captivity for 661 days, into despair. The revelation also marked the clearest indication that the government of prime minister
Binyamin Netanyahu
has failed to bring about the release of the hostages through a combination of military pressure on Hamas and limiting the humanitarian aid entering Gaza.
Having chosen to renew the war back in March for domestic political considerations when a ceasefire looked possible, it now seems Netanyahu has run out of ideas.
Hamas has shown little willingness, despite the pressure, to reach a deal during
talks in Doha
and appears to have entrenched its negotiating position.
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Almost 150 people, including 88 children, have reportedly died in Gaza due to starvation. The Israeli government first denied that there was famine and then tried to blame the UN and aid agencies in an attempt to deflect responsibility for the catastrophe.
With international outrage mounting by the day, Israel was fast becoming a pariah state. Intense pressure from the US and the European Union forced Netanyahu, finally, to act.
On Sunday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced a 10-hour 'humanitarian pause' in the fighting each day until further notice, in the approximately 25 per cent of the enclave where the IDF is not operating (mainly due to concern that hostages are being held in these areas). This allows UN convoys to pass through designated corridors. In parallel, airlifts were undertaken by the Israeli air force, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, and lorries were allowed to cross overland from Egypt.
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Netanyahu decided on the U-turn over the weekend without consulting the leaders of the two far-right parties in his coalition, who have always argued that agreeing to allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza undermines the war effort and strengthens Hamas, which has been accused of stealing supplies in the past to feed its fighters and to sell for money which is used to pay the militants.
'This is a capitulation to Hamas's deceitful campaign,' Itamar Ben-Gvir, the head of Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Strength), said in a statement, repeating his call to stop all aid, conquer the entire territory and encourage Palestinians to leave. However, he stopped short of threatening to quit the government.
Despite the surge in humanitarian assistance entering Gaza, the fighting continues. Defence minister Yisrael Katz issued a threatening message, echoing past statements. 'If Hamas doesn't release the hostages, the gates of hell will open in Gaza,' he warned.
Knesset member Moshe Saada, also from Netanyahu's Likud party, said on Monday morning: 'There's no choice now but to occupy the entire Gaza Strip from end to end.' He claimed that Israel has received approval from US president
Donald Trump
for such a move.
It could be that the bellicose noises from Israeli officials are designed to exert more pressure on Hamas. Israel aims to create a credible threat, backed by Trump, in the hope of clinching the 60-day ceasefire on the table. But if the strategy fails, a devastating military escalation remains a possibility, inflicting more death and destruction on the residents of Gaza.
Hamas has also threatened to kill the captives it holds in the tunnels if IDF forces approach.
