Hamas Winning the PR War
International pressure is on. In recent months, as reports about the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza circulate, numerous nations, including the European Union, the U.K., and France, have promised that if Israel does not end the war and increase the amount of humanitarian aid headed into Gaza, these countries will declare support for a Palestinian state, reports Haley Strack in NRO.
“We don’t want to keep (Gaza),” promised Benjamin Netanyahu.
“We don’t want to govern it. We don’t want to be there as a governing body. He added, We want to hand it over to Arab forces.”
Mr. Netanyahu, however, was short on specifics about his plan. Could the prime minister’s threats, as The NYT wonders, widen the offensive to compel Hamas to offer concessions in the cease-fire negotiations?
In a statement last Tuesday, Hamas responded. Their comments assured Israel’s Prime Minister, “represent a clear reversal of the course of negotiations and clearly reveal the true motives behind this withdrawal from the final round.”
On Handing Gaza to Arab Forces
As a group of Israeli senior ministers met Tuesday evening, Netanyahu sent his response.
Although it could be days or months before Israel begins pushing deeper into Gaza, Netanyahu assured the media, “We intend to.”
“We want to liberate ourselves and the people of Gaza from the awful terror of Hamas.”
As Israel’s prime minister reiterated, Israel does not want to retain long-term control of Gaza.
“We don’t want to keep it. We don’t want to govern it. We don’t want to be there as a governing body. We want to hand it over to Arab forces.”
Why the Israeli military cabinet worries about seizing control of Gaza:
- endangering the remaining Israeli hostages,
- sustaining heavy casualties among Israeli troops.
President Donald Trump responded to questions on Tuesday about an Israeli takeover of Gaza. Control of Gaza was “really up to Israel,” conceded the President.
If Israel continues with the planned military operation, many think it will take thousands of Israeli troops to enter Gaza to participate in the ground offensive.
A Little Background
The Gaza Strip, aka Gaza, is one of two Palestinian territories. The larger territory is the West Bank, which includes the State of Palestine in the S. Levant region of W. Asia. Inhabitants of Gaza are mostly Palestinian refugees and their descendants. Population density figures put it at about 2.1 million, mostly Palestinian refugees and their descendants.
Gaza is bordered by Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the east and north. Its capital and largest city is Gaza City.
The West Bank encompasses the State of Palestine in the Southern Levant region of West Asia.
Numerous nations, including the European Union, the U.K., and France, have promised that if Israel does not end the war and increase the amount of humanitarian aid headed into Gaza, they threaten to declare support for a Palestinian state, among the most densely populated territories in the world.
An Emboldened Hamas Winning PR War
Such international support “encourages and rewards” Hamas, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last week.
“… at the end of the day Hamas is sitting there saying: ‘we’re winning the PR war. We’ve got all these countries lining up on our side of this argument. We’ve got leverage now. We shouldn’t agree to anything. We should keep this thing going.’”
(Hamas) does not care how many people die in Gaza,” accused Sec. Rubio.
Think about it if you’re Hamas. You’re still holding 20 innocent people as hostages. You’re holding the bodies of over 50 of the people you massacred, raped, and killed during this – on October 7th of 2023.”
Continues Haley Strack in NRO reporting on the video of a badly malnourished Rom Braslavski.
Palestinian Islamic Jihadists released a video the Israeli taken hostage on 7 October from the Nova music festival. Terrorists recorded the video days earlier and Braslavski’s whereabouts in the Gaza Strip are now unknown, the group said.
Statement Issued by Braslavski’s Family:
“People are speaking a lot about what is happening in Gaza, about the hunger, and I ask all those who are speaking about hunger: Did you see our Rom? He doesn’t receive food, and he doesn’t receive medicine. He is simply forgotten there.”
“They managed to break Rom. Even the most resilient person has their breaking point.”
Forty-nine hostages kidnapped on October 7 remain in Gaza. Only 20 are believed to be alive.”
Netanyahu has not released specifics of the plan to take over Gaza. According to various Israeli media reports:
- Phase I of the plan would first include evacuating and seizing Gaza City, before expanding aid distribution centers, hospitals, and civilian infrastructure in central Gaza for Palestinian civilians.
- Phase II would include a military operation in Gaza to fully eliminate Hamas and search for the remaining 50 hostages, 20 of whom are believed to be alive.
If Israel continues with the planned military operation, reports Haley Stack, thousands (Israeli troops) will enter Gaza to take part in the ground offensive.
Key Points (from the WSJ):
- Netanyahu said Israel would take control of all of Gaza, transfer it to Arab forces, and keep a security perimeter.
- The operation follows a monthslong effort that failed to free hostages or get Hamas to surrender.
- The plan faces international and domestic opposition, with concerns about Gaza civilians and Israeli soldiers.
In American Greatness, Peter Berkowitz writes of Israel being a nation-state of the Jewish people. Israel is a multi-ethnic rights-protecting democracy defending itself against jihadists bent on destroying it. Israel must work to improve the economic well-being and participation in civic life of its Arab minority.
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