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Will Hamas Sink Trump's Gaza Deal?
(Wall Street Journal) Editorial - The Trump peace plan for Gaza is in trouble, and Hamas is the culprit. Insisting Israel wait for the return of the slain hostages isn't working. It has been a week since Hamas handed over any bodies, time it has used to solidify control over western Gaza. The terrorists again fired on Israeli troops on Tuesday and drew an Israeli response. This all should provoke some American rethinking: Hamas's revival risks preventing any international stabilization force from getting off the ground. The more Hamas restores its power, the more the Arab powers back away. The terrorists are dragging out the return of the dead hostages to create a fait accompli in Gaza. Gaza's demilitarization can't wait for Hamas to dribble out an arm or a leg a week. By that point it would be too late for an international force, which would be little more than a fig leaf for Hamas's power. Israeli forces may take some more territory from Hamas for now, but the pressing need is for regular intervention to pressure Hamas and disrupt its reconstitution. If the plan is to restrain Israel even while Hamas violates the deal and no stabilization force is ready, it will fail. The President can let Israel enforce the ceasefire or watch it sink.