(Ynet News) Ron Ben-Yishai - During the negotiations in Cairo concerning the Israeli hostages, Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar faced no substantial pressure to agree to a deal. Hamas seems to have a vested interest in prolonging the negotiations for weeks or even months. They likely believe that ongoing international and domestic pressure will eventually compel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end the conflict. Therefore, Israel has no other choice but to use military force against Hamas. The rocket barrage fired from Gaza into Israeli territory Sunday underscores the untenable situation of Hamas and Islamic Jihad operating as organized terrorist factions within Gaza. Such attacks demonstrate that as long as Hamas and Islamic Jihad remain active anywhere in Gaza, Israelis living in the Western Negev cannot safely return to their everyday lives. Moreover, while IDF operations in northern Gaza momentarily halted rocket fire, these attacks have sporadically resumed after Israeli forces pulled back. It is unmistakably clear that decisive action in Rafah is imperative, not only to dismantle the threats posed by Hamas and Islamic Jihad, but also to secure a deal for the release of hostages without succumbing to Hamas' narrative of forcing Israel to end the conflict on their terms.
2024-05-07 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive