Haaretz: Hamas senses an American trap, and operations inside Israel are its next option to respond to what is happening in Gaza

The Arab affairs editor of Haaretz newspaper said that the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) sees a trap in the latest ceasefire proposal after the United States adopted Israel's position, and that its response to what is happening in Gaza may be to resume "suicide" operations.

While the newspaper's editorial questioned whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had actually accepted the new American plan.

In a report titled “Unity of Fronts: Suicide Operations: Hamas’s Response to What’s Happening in Gaza,” Haaretz’s Arab Affairs Editor Jackie Khoury wrote that Hamas essentially sees the latest version of the fluctuating American ceasefire proposals as an adoption of Israel’s position in rejecting the end of the war and a comprehensive withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.

He wrote that the bombing in Tel Aviv two days ago, and more importantly, Hamas and the Islamic Jihad Movement claiming responsibility for it, revived an old fear, which is the return of "suicide" operations to the heart of Israel as in the nineties of the last century, to the point that it is not known whether the two movements are operationally capable of launching them.

The writer said that the level of fear has increased due to what is happening in the West Bank, where anger and frustration have deepened with the repeated storming of Palestinian towns and villages by the Israeli army, and the continued attacks by settlers on the Palestinian population, which provides fertile ground for recruiting "suicide bombers," as he put it.

"Suicide" attacks

The book noted that the timing of the explosion, which killed one person and injured another, was also important, as it came amid diplomatic and political activity to try to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and before the visit of US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.

Khoury concluded by writing that Hamas has nothing to lose. It has understood that Washington’s goal is to achieve peace until the presidential elections in November and to present an image of victory in the return of civilian detainees (and perhaps some female soldiers) in exchange for the release of a limited number of Palestinian prisoners. It believes that the second stage is of less importance to Washington and even to Israel, which sees all of this as one of the costs of war. Therefore, the movement is focusing its real battle on the first stage, hoping that it will be the last.

Last chance

In a second editorial, Haaretz called on Netanyahu to accept the latest US proposal, which Secretary of State Antony Blinken described as perhaps Israel’s last chance to return its captives, and he made sure to convey this sentiment directly to Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog.

Haaretz wrote that every Israeli who is honest with himself knows that what Blinken said is not just words, it may actually be the last chance, and it recalled the Israeli security establishment’s estimates that about half of the 115 prisoners may have been killed.

Haaretz said that Blinken, while reiterating his commitment to Israel's security, also affirmed its commitment to reducing tensions in the region. It added that the Americans understood that Netanyahu's political considerations harm the decision-making process even when it comes to the lives of Israelis and the future of their state, and quoted Blinken as calling for not looking for excuses to disrupt the deal.

evasive policy

The newspaper accused Netanyahu of continuing his policy of manipulating words, and said that his claim that Israel alone is making concessions is just throwing dust in the eyes.

According to the newspaper, Washington links the deal to the stability of the entire Middle East, but Netanyahu is evasive, and the public discourse in Israel does not sufficiently emphasize the danger that threatens the “state” if the opportunity to conclude a deal is wasted, as it will not only mean that the prisoners have been left to their fate, but also the possibility of igniting a regional war.

The writer concluded that Netanyahu claimed - at the end of his meeting with Blinken - that he supports Washington's proposal, saying that the ball is now in Hamas's court, but it is difficult to believe his claim due to his history of lies, and she said that the time has come for him to accept the deal in word and deed.

Source: Haaretz