Hamas technique is finish battle with Israel and survive : NPR

Hamas fighters patrol a street before they hand over three Israeli hostages to a Red Cross team in Deir el-Balah, central Gaza, on Feb. 8.

Hamas fighters patrol a avenue earlier than they hand over three Israeli hostages to a Pink Cross group in Deir el-Balah, central Gaza, on Feb. 8.

Eyad Baba/AFP by way of Getty Pictures

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Eyad Baba/AFP by way of Getty Pictures

TEL AVIV, Israel — Practically two years after launching the shock assault that sparked the battle with Israel, Hamas finds itself up towards a wall.

Its preventing power has been pummeled by Israel, its charismatic leadership has been all but assassinated and its ceasefire negotiators face unprecedented stress from Arab governments to surrender its weapons and its rule.

“Hamas is dealing with its worst disaster but,” mentioned Esmat Mansour, a West Financial institution-based Palestinian political commentator and former militant, who’s in contact with figures near Hamas. “Hamas faces pressures from all instructions: from Israel, from the road, from the West and from Arab nations.”

Yahya Sinwar (center), Hamas' Gaza Strip chief at the time, shakes hands with a masked fighter of the group's Qassam Brigades during an anniversary rally, in Gaza City, on Dec. 14, 2022. Israel believes Sinwar was a mastermind of the deadly Oct. 7, 2023, attack in the country. The Israeli military said it killed him in an operation in southern Gaza in October 2024.

Yahya Sinwar (middle), Hamas’ Gaza Strip chief on the time, shakes fingers with a masked fighter of the group’s Qassam Brigades throughout an anniversary rally, in Gaza Metropolis, on Dec. 14, 2022. Israel believes Sinwar was a mastermind of the lethal Oct. 7, 2023, assault within the nation. The Israeli army mentioned it killed him in an operation in southern Gaza in October 2024.

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Hamas' Yahya Sinwar chairs a meeting with leaders of Palestinian factions at his office in Gaza City, April 13, 2022.

Probably the most instant stress comes from Israel’s newest risk: to besiege Gaza Metropolis, after displacing a whole bunch of hundreds of Palestinians from the town, and sending troopers inside to battle in what Israel considers to be one among Hamas’ final main strongholds. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week ordered army planners to hurry up preparations for the Gaza Metropolis offensive, and army officers known as on hospitals to plan to evacuate.

Civilians in Gaza face the brunt of Israel’s marketing campaign, struggling displacement, airstrikes and extreme meals shortages — with the world’s specialists in famine asserting famine circumstances have already taken maintain in Gaza.

For the primary time, the 22 nations of the Arab League called in a statement final month for Hamas to surrender management of Gaza and hand over its weapons.

These pressures got here to a head this week, when Hamas accepted an Egyptian and Qatari proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza — giving up its preliminary reservations and agreeing to phrases the U.S. had initially proposed that will preserve Israeli troops with a major maintain on territory in Gaza. Israel is contemplating its response.

Israel is attempting to finish Hamas’ existence as a army and governing power in Gaza, and Hamas is aware of Israel is stronger militarily. Mansour says Hamas’ technique is to keep up its one bargaining chip, the Israeli hostages it nonetheless holds, and hope the circumstances change in Israel to Hamas’ benefit.

Retired Israeli Air Force officers protest against the war in Gaza outside the country's defense ministry headquarters in Tel Aviv on Aug. 12.

“Time performs to Hamas’ profit, to not Netanyahu’s profit,” Mansour says. “The [Israeli] army is exhausted, Israeli protests are rising, possibly the federal government will fall, possibly there might be worldwide stress particularly due to the pictures of starvation, Europe will stress the U.S. Hamas says: ‘There may be nothing worse than give up. Why ought to I give up? I’m remaining steadfast and possibly the scenario will change to my benefit and there might be a chance to barter from a greater place.'”

Mansour says Hamas’ “major aim is to exist and solely to exist.”

Hamas believes it has fashionable help on the Arab avenue

Hamas is at the moment targeted on enhancing its relations with Arab governments.

“The primary disagreement between Hamas and the Arab nations is the armed wrestle that Hamas employs in its clashes with the Israeli occupation,” says Ibrahim Al-Madhoun, a Palestinian analyst from Gaza based mostly in Istanbul and near Hamas. “ However all of the Arab states perceive that Palestine is an important trigger and Hamas is an important participant within the trigger … the Arab nations love Hamas.”

Samir Ghattas, an Egyptian safety analyst who research Hamas and Gaza, says Hamas errors Arab help for the plight of Gaza with help for Hamas.

Palestinian Hamas fighters escort Israeli hostage Or Levy on a stage before handing him over to a Red Cross team in Deir el-Balah, central Gaza, on Feb. 8, as part of a hostage-prisoner exchange and ceasefire deal with Israel.

Palestinian Hamas fighters escort Israeli hostage Or Levy on a stage earlier than handing him over to a Pink Cross group in Deir el-Balah, central Gaza, on Feb. 8, as a part of a hostage-prisoner change and ceasefire cope with Israel.