Under the terms of a fragile cease-fire, Israel is facing increasing pressure from its allies to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza as it welcomes Israeli hostages back home. The Israeli government is making tough decisions about its future war on Hamas, which has controlled Gaza since 2007.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to the ground invasion pause to justify the recovery of hostages, promising to eliminate Hamas and recover all 240 people kidnapped by the group. However, this agreement has given Hamas time to regroup, making Israel’s objective of rooting it out harder. The extended cease-fire has allowed aid to reach the displaced residents of Gaza, but the deal has also resulted in further support for Hamas in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
The current cease-fire was extended from four to six days by Israel and Hamas according to Qatar, with both sides accusing each other of violating it. Hamas has released Israeli hostages, and Israel has freed imprisoned Palestinians. Israel’s military campaign had bombarded the Gaza Strip for weeks, targeting Hamas all over Gaza and causing thousands of deaths and the displacement of millions, sparking international outcry.
Before the ceasefire, Israel had ordered evacuation of northern Gaza and implemented a ground invasion, capturing a portion of the northern Gaza strip. Israeli forces have also closed in on Gaza’s largest hospital, accusing Hamas of using tunnels beneath it as a command center. The military has said it has destroyed some Hamas tunnels but has not confirmed that its troops have been fighting inside them.
Hamas has confirmed the death of some of its commanders and leaders in the war, but there is uncertainty about the possibility of eliminating it altogether from the strip. Political leadership of Hamas is beyond Israel’s reach, with Qatar hosting its leaders and mediating talks with Israel and Egypt. These talks are crucial in deciding the future of the conflict.
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