LOS ANGELES (OC).–Hamas terrorists lashed out at rival factions in Gaza today, killing at least seven in Gaza’s public square execution style, making them kneel before shooting them in back of the head. All the celebrations in Sharm El-Sheikh Monday gave way to an ugly reality of whom the U.S. and international community are dealing with in Hamas. Hamas’s barbarism knows no boundaries, once thought by Arabs confined to the so-called “occupiers” but in reality it’s reserved for anyone that challenges its authority, lake Palestinians praying for an end to Hamas’s mafia-like rule of the Gaza Strip. Carrying out public executions of fellow Palestinian shows the extent of the brutality in Hamas terrorists. Only Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu catches flack for relentlessly pursuing Hamas, knowing they would never abide by any agreement, sponsored by Arabs or not.
Trump and other world leaders got their rude awakening today watching public executions of so-called Israeli collaborators, the excuse given for extra-judicial executions. While Hamas accuses Israel of genocide, the group is actually responsible for starving Gaza residents, desperate for food, yet blocked by Hamas from receiving aid shipments. Hamas likes to blame Israel but Palestinians living in Gaza know that Hamas blocks the aid shipments then blames the lack of supplies on Israel. Much of the world eats up Hamas propaganda but now sees firsthand Hamas executing fellow Palestinians in public. Once the world saw the same barbarism from the Afghan Taliban, another Sunni Muslim terror group whose brutality knew no limits. Trump can only watch and let Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu say “I told you so” and do something about it.
Only by a concerted effort by Arabs States and the international community can Hamas receive enough condemnation and enforcement of its terrorist ways. No long can they hide behind Zionism as their excuse for the most vicious kinds of violence perpetrated on anyone that challenges their authority. Gaza residents confirm that Hamas terrorists are present in the streets in the suburbs of Gaza City, preventing aid deliveries to Palestinians they claim starve because of Israeli genocide. Israeli troops have withdrawn from Gaza City to comply with the ceasefire agreement, allowing Hamas to take over the streets with thugs armed to the teeth and ready to perpetrate violence on Gaza residents. Hamas claims that Israeli drone attacks killed five in a suburb of Gaza City, with air strike killing one in Khan Younis, according to Hamas health authorities.
Hamas’s return to Gaza City streets signals they have no intent to following through with the ceasefire agreement, always blaming Israel for violating provisions. Hamas has never fully agreed exile deals in Gaza, leaving a dilemma for the new interim Palestinian government that seeks to start the rebuilding process. No one thinks that Hamas can have any access to rebuilding funds after spending the last 20 years plundering the Gaza Strip, denying its population running water, electricity and other amenities. Hamas used generous Gulf State donor cash to enrich its leadership and build military tunnels, all for its plans to eventually conquer Israel. Hamas routinely tells Gaza residents that they’re close to conquering Israel, they only need time to complete their dream of returning to their homeland. Yet Oct. 7, 2023 serves as a brutal reminder of what Hamas has done to Gaza.
Since seizing Gaza in a bloodless coup in 2007 from the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority, Hamas has done nothing but loot the Mediterranean enclave from its donor cash, leaving the 2.2 million population in shambles. Hamas has no intent of leaving Gaza voluntarily because they have nowhere to go other than Shiite Iran where they actually aren’t welcome. Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan want no part of Hamas, already dealing with enough terrorism from other Muslim groups. Just recall what Hamas leader in exist Khaled Meshaal did to former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad a few years ago. Meshaal backed Sunni forces that worked for years to topple al-Assad’s Shiite regime. So much for al-Assad giving exile to Hamas, eventually toppled by Abu Mohammed al-Julani, now known as Ahmed al-Sharaa. Syria’s new president was once a member of al-Qaeda.
Whatever euphoria was felt in Israel and Gaza it was short-lived after Hamas terrorists returned to the streets to retaliate against Gaza residents with public executions. Trump needs to work with Netanyahu to purge what’s left of Hamas’s terrorists left roaming the streets in Gaza if he really wants to fulfill what he told the Sharm El-Sheikh summit and signing ceremony about the “dawn of a new age.” Hamas can easily turn Trump’s peace plans on its head, requiring Netanayahu to do more to purge the area of Hamas terrorists. Trump did everything possible to complete the ceasefire but, ultimately, it’s the warring parties that either go along or keep fighting. Trump found out the hard way in Ukraine, where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected his peace plans, refusing good-faith negotiations. If Hamas doesn’t honor the agreement, it’s back to war.
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.
