LOS ANGELES.–Israeli’s Chief of Staff for Israeli Defense Forces [IDF] Herzi Halevi said today that there’s no “magic solution” when it comes to the Israeli-Hamas war, that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanayu will continue to fight until Hamas no longer controls the Gaza Strip. U.N. officials led by 75-year-old Secretary-General Antonio Guterres highlighted the urgency of a ceasefire for humanitarian purposes yet refuses to call on Hamas to leave Gaza. Guterres is well-aware of the stranglehold Hamas has on Gaza since seizing the territory from 87-uyear-old Palestinian Chief Mahmoud Abbas June 14, 2007. Abbas lacked the military resources to stop Hamas from seizing Gaza and is under continuous death threast from Hamas militants. Any of Biden’s suggestions that the PA take over leadership from Hamas must be based on reality, not on wishful thinking. Netanyahu has suggested a transition U.N. government independent of Hamas or other terror groups.
Before there’s talk of life after Hamas, the U.S., U.N. and European Union [EU] must find Gaza an alternative government. Guterres could play a constructive role not only in condemning the ongoing war but to ask Hamas to relinquish power in Gaza for the good of civilians. Hamas authorities claim, without any proof, that Israel has killed over 20,000 civilians in its bombing campaign Since Oct. 7. While there’s no verification of Hamas figures, U.S. and foreign press tend to accept the grossly exaggerated Hamas body counts. Hamas numbers don’t add up because the IDF executes the most careful military campaigns, avoiding collateral damage wherever possible. Because Hamas declared casualty figures, doesn’t mean they’re close to accurate. When President Biden questioned Hamas’ body count Oct. 25, he was met with condemnation in the Arab press. No one knows the factual casualty counts in Hamas due to war propaganda.
U.N. officials claim that 85% of Gaza’s 2.3 million population or 1.9 million have been internally displaced to other locations in Gaza for safer ground. Given that most the Gaza population has been relocated to safer ground, it’s equally implausible Hamas casualty figures. Whatever the collateral damage, it’s all too high because of the war. “There are no magic solutions,” said Halev. Netanyahu laid out conditions in the Wall Street Journal for ending the conflict, the most important of which is defeating Hamas. But as far as Netanyahu is concerned, whether or not he defeats Hamas, Hamas must leave the Gaza Strip. Why Guterres and other U.N. officials don’t call for Hamas to leave Gaza is anyone’s guess. As long as Hamas is chartered to destroy of Israel, nothing good can come of its leadership. If Guterres and other U.N. officials are really concerned about the humanitarian crisis, they need to call immediately for Hamas to get out.
Hamas has burnt its bridges in Gaza with the Oct. 7 slaughter that killed 1,200 Israelis and others and taking 260 hostage. Gutterres has not called for Hamas to return all hostages and to leave Gaza. Hamas has received over $100 billion from oil-rich Gulf States since seizing the territory in 2007. Hamas has squandered Gaza’s cash on tunnel building and arms, not on building infrastructure, including improved electricity, water, other resources and economic development to make Gaza a profitable destination for global businesses. Hamas former leaders in exile Ismail Haniyeh and Khaled Meshaal are both billionaires for years of plundering Gaza’s resources. Ending the conflict is not rocket science for the U.N., requiring Guterres to demand that Hamas leave the Gaza Strip and turn authority over to the U.N. for interim management. All the humanitarian concerns could be managed if Guterres can get Hamas to leave Gaza.
Israel’s Halevi said the war would “continue for many more months to guarantee that “our achievements are preserved for a long time,” meaning Hamas must leave Gaza for good. Guterres could be most helpful in expediting the end to the humanitarian crisis to call for Hamas to leave Gaza. “There are no shortcuts where it comes to thoroughly dismantling a terror organization except being stubborn and determined in the fighting,” said Halevi. But one thing that could end the conflict more quickly would be if Guterres, Biden and other world leaders called for Hamas to get out of Gaza. Palestinians can’t tell the truth without dealing with severe consequences for criticizing Hamas. Only by having the U.N., U.S. and EU stand up and demand that Hamas leave Gaza can the situation improve. No amount of global pressure can stop the Israeli campaign against Hamas, unless world powers finally demand that Hamas leave the Gaza Strip.
Talk of a two-state solution would be premature actually destructive to ending the conflict because it would give Hamas a political victory. Netanyahu would never accept a two-state solution that involves Hamas or any other terror group that refuses violence as a form of “resistance.” When you consider the fake “resistance” promoted by Iran, sponsoring Yemen’s Houth rebels, Hamas terrorists in Gaza, Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq, it perpetuates the Israeli-Hamas conflict. U.N., U.S. and EU officials could play a constructive role in calling for Hamas to immediately leave Gaza. Hamas has committed itself like its chief benefactor Iran to destroying the Israeli state. Since that hasn’t happened since Israel’s 1948 independence, it’s not about to happen now. Applying maximum pressure on Hamas to leave Gaza is the fastest way to end the humanitarian crisis that’s fueling the starvation, chaos and misery of Gaza residents.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
