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In this period of horror and massive criticism of Israel, people do not realize that, for a change, Netanyahu was absolutely right to reject the ceasefire proposal accepted by Hamas. If Netanyahu had accepted this agreement, it would have been a blunder of the same caliber with which he had long financially supported Hamas (via Qatar).
The Palestinian people cheered prematurely when they learned of the Hamas agreement. In any case, the Israelis did not believe what they heard after Hamas “agreed” to the supposedly US-mediated truce proposal.
The fake proposal for a ceasefire is a rag and a mockery for people who want to see a balanced end to this horrific war. A Gaza war that may approach or perhaps even exceed the Vietnam War in terms of the number of innocent Palestinian civilian victims.
If Netanyahu had accepted this proposal, the many Israeli deaths and thousands of injuries would have been in vain. Israel started this defensive war after the Israeli people were mutilated and humiliated. A fluff agreement is not acceptable to them.
Hamas leader Yahia al-Sinwar wants Hamas to remain in power. He considers that power more important than the suffering of his severely affected, innocent civilian population. Netanyahu does not want to end the war until Hamas is militarily defeated. Netanyahu wants to preserve his governing coalition and avoid a political reckoning for his blunders through elections. He also wants to stay in power.
Al Jazeera had access to the document and published a summary of the draft agreement. What are (in brief summary) the main points for the proposed 126-day truce, which is divided into 3 phases:
First phase
In the first crucial phase of 42 days, Israeli forces must withdraw eastward from population centers to a yet-to-be-discussed point near the Israeli border. No Israeli drone or aircraft may be over Gaza for at least 10 hours a day. The Palestinian civilian population who fled is allowed to return and move freely. Humanitarian aid is arriving en masse. Normal life is restored as much as possible.
Hamas releases some of the hostages. In the first phase, 33 Israeli hostages are released. During the first three days, Hamas releases 3 hostages. Then every 7 days 3 living or dead hostages are handed over to Israel (sick, children, wounded, female soldiers). Israel releases 40-50 prisoners, including 30 life-sentenced terrorists designated by Hamas. At the end of the 3rd week, Israel should release a group of terrorists who were rearrested after being released in exchange for the previously held hostage Gilad Shalit. (These Hamassers had been arrested again after resuming their military activities.)
The first phase would require further negotiations on progress in the second phase.
Second phase
Al Jazeera describes the second phase of the agreement as follows:
“A return to lasting calm (a permanent cessation of military and hostile operations) must be announced and come into effect before the exchange of prisoners and prisoners of war takes place – all remaining living Israeli men (civilians and soldiers) – in exchange for an agreed number of prisoners and detainees in Israeli prisons and detention camps must withdraw completely from the Gaza Strip.”
Third phase
In the third phase, remains and living prisoners are exchanged and further agreements are made about reconstruction, compensation, etc. Israel finally stops the fighting. Blockages are given up.
So much for the summary of the agreement.
No trust
The Israelis and Hamas do not have even the beginning of minimal trust in each other. If the Israelis had been crazy enough to accept this first phase, there would have been no military obstacle for Hamas to take back the entire strip. Furthermore, a hard core of terrorists has reportedly been released, while hostages are still being held by Hamas. In that first phase, Hamas would have largely obtained the military and political loot, while Israel would have given away the most important means of pressure. Hamas’s political position is said to be rock-solid, so that Hamas can continue campaigns against Israel from both Gaza and the West Bank.
US distances itself
The Americans (through Matt Miller, spokesperson for the State Department on May 7, 2024) appear to be distancing themselves from the text that Hamas would agree to and which would contain far-reaching Israeli concessions. Matt Miller argued that the agreement was not the right text: “That’s not what they (Hamas, MS) did. They responded with amendments – call it a counter-proposal if you like – and we’re working on the details of that now.”
After all the terrible suffering and destruction, it is necessary that this war comes to an end. Despite all the pressure they and their allies exert on the warring parties, the Americans seem unable to dissuade both fighters from their strategic objectives. Perhaps also because both Sinwar and Netanyahu personally have a lot to lose if the fight is stopped without them being the clear winner.
