Despite last week rejecting Israel’s demand to disarm before any permanent end to the war, Hamas has again suggested it will drop some of its ‘red lines’ due to intensifying strikes—and perhaps even because of increasing pressure from within Gaza—just as Benjamin Netanyahu intends.
The U.S. has also again this week expressed its solidarity with Israel’s campaign, marking a significant divide between its stance and that of senior European Union leaders who are pushing Netanyahu to agree to an immediate ceasefire regardless of Hamas’s demands.
One Hamas official said on Tuesday that the terror group was hoping to discuss “new ideas aimed at reaching a ceasefire” during talks taking place in Cairo. Netanyahu has previously stressed that Hamas will “continue to suffer blow after blow” until the remaining Israeli hostages have been released and “all of our war objectives” have been achieved.
These aims have no doubt been made more achievable by America’s continued—and increasingly lonely—support for Israel. Most recently, Mike Huckabee, who is the new U.S. ambassador to Israel, said Hamas must accept a deal that would secure the release of the hostages in return for aid entering Gaza.
When that happens, and hostages are released which is an urgent matter for all of us, then we hope that the humanitarian aid will flow and flow freely knowing it will be done without Hamas being able to confiscate and abuse their own people.
European leaders spoke in a markedly different tone on Wednesday morning, warning that the aid block “must end,” ignoring Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz’s claim that this “is one of the central pressure tools that stops Hamas from using this means against the population.”
Following a call with Netanyahu on Tuesday, Donald Trump also celebrated that “we are on the same side of every issue.” It is hard to imagine such a statement being issued from Brussels.
"I’ve just spoken to Prime Minister of Israel, Bibi @Netanyahu, relative to numerous subjects including Trade, Iran, etc. The call went very well—We are on the same side of every issue." –President Donald J. Trump 🇺🇸🇮🇱 pic.twitter.com/jFLd8Rp8sc
Michael Curzon is a news writer for europeanconservative.com based in England’s Midlands. He is also Editor of Bournbrook Magazine, which he founded in 2019, and previously wrote for London’s Express Online. His Twitter handle is @MichaelCurzon_.
