|
Trending Topics
|
Source: https://jcfa.org/from-strategic-assassination-to-a-decisive-plan-the-new-equation-against-hamas/
The New Equation Against Hamas
(Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs) Oded Ailam - The elimination of Hamas military leader Izz al-Din al-Haddad is a move with profound strategic significance. Al-Haddad, one of the most hardline and extremist voices within Hamas, strongly opposed any framework that included the organization's disarmament or the establishment of an alternative governing authority. Removing him from the equation weakens the uncompromising camp within Hamas and could create new, more favorable conditions for negotiations. Israel's message is clear: those who reject all compromise and glorify a perpetual war of attrition are not immune. In the Middle East, weakness is perceived as an invitation to aggression. When Israel makes clear that everyone involved in planning, murdering, and kidnapping will pay a personal price, it strengthens its ability to survive in a hostile region. Targeted killings alone cannot defeat Hamas unless they are integrated into a broader strategic framework. Eliminating the organization's veteran command structure forces Hamas to hand the reins to a younger, less experienced, and less authoritative generation, leading to operational erosion. However, this is only half of the equation. To bring about the complete collapse of Hamas and prevent its rehabilitation, Israel must immediately implement a comprehensive operational strategy. First, Israel must make clear that every day Hamas refuses to disarm is another day in which it loses territory for an indefinite period. Second, a new and far stricter political-security framework must be established with Cairo concerning the management of the Rafah crossing, in order to completely block Hamas's lifeline, prevent large-scale weapons smuggling, and deny the organization control over the movement of people and goods along the southern border. Third, a dedicated mechanism, entirely separate from Hamas, must be created immediately to manage, distribute, and process humanitarian aid entering Gaza. Hamas's control over food and supplies is the oxygen sustaining its rule. Fourth, a strict and clearly defined timetable must be set for the full disarmament of Hamas by the end of the year. No Hamas operative may be integrated into future security mechanisms, civilian administration, or governing institutions in Gaza. The writer, former head of the Counterterrorism Division in the Mossad, is a researcher at the Jerusalem Center.