By Bochana @Adobe Stock
Making a Bad Deal
After 2-1/2 weeks of a cease-fire, IDF released terror up and down the Gaza Strip. With the new ground offensive, Israel is sending troops into areas in Gaza that Israel had previously abandoned.
Hamas did have a choice. To prolong the cease-fire, the terrorist organization could have released Israel hostages. Instead, Hamas’s refusal to release hostages has resulted in an Israeli “targeted ground operation” in Gaza, with Israel targeting midlevel leaders of Hamas.
Time Is Running Out
On Tuesday, warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“From now on negotiations will be conducted only under fire.” … This is only the beginning,”
Hell to Pay for Saying No
If hostages aren’t released, Defense Minister Israel Katz warned, “The gates of hell will open in Gaza.”
Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged that the airstrikes came after Hamas “rejected all offers it received” from Steve Wikoff, the Trump administration’s special envoy to the Mideast.
As the Trump administration noted, “Hamas could have released hostages to extend the ceasefire but instead chose refusal and war.”
Most likely, Israel will escalate military actions against Hamas projects administration officials.
Israel promises to “not stop fighting until all the hostages return home and all the war’s goals are achieved.”
A Simultaneous Barrage
With former President Joe Biden no longer in the White House, Israel is now benefiting from the full support of the US.
Notable:
- Hamas is isolated.
- Hezbollah has not chosen to rejoin the fight.
- Israel intercepted a missile fired by the Houthis
- Sustained strikes from the US are impeding the Houthis
Furthermore, Iran today is under US pressure rather than under US protection. President Trump is enforcing oil sanctions and threatening to hold Iran accountable for its Houthi proxy attacks.
Not surprisingly, Hamas is likely to have used the cease-fire to lay traps for Israeli troops. A shifting world has created a perilously worse strategic position for Hamas.
Along with enforcing oil sanctions, Trump is pledging to hold Iran accountable for its Houthi proxy attacks. On Tuesday, one U.S. dollar was traded for more than a million Iranian rials. That’s an all-time low.
Consequences of War
In Gaza, there is one urgent humanitarian goal:
- To allow a displaced population to relocate for a more peaceful life elsewhere.
Basically, Israel has two goals:
- To rescue hostages
- To destroy Hamas
If you’re willing to fight for Main Street America, click here to sign up for the Richardcyoung.com free weekly email.
