Hamas has signalled its willingness to negotiate an end to the war, offering to transfer governance of Gaza to a technical government. Members of the United Nations Security Council have overwhelmingly endorsed a ceasefire, but the proposal was thwarted by a U.S. veto.
Israel, under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, insists on the “defeat of Hamas” as a precondition for any agreement, even at the risk of endangering Israeli captives still held in Gaza.
“Hamas is at its weakest point ever, and there’s nothing they can do that compares to Israel’s capabilities,” notes Elia Ayoub, a researcher on the Israel-Palestine situation and host of the The Fire These Times podcast, speaking to Al Jazeera.
“With abundant evidence suggesting that the genocide continues because Netanyahu wants it to, it’s clear this is just an excuse to keep the war going,” Ayoub says.
Netanyahu’s Dependence on Hamas
Why would Netanyahu, whose tenures as prime minister are marred by legal troubles and accusations of corruption, want the conflict to escalate?
The war acts as a distraction from Netanyahu’s legal issues, and avoiding a permanent ceasefire might shield him from criticism over Israel’s security failures leading to the events of October 7.
According to Mairav Zonszein, an expert on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and affiliated with the International Crisis Group, “Netanyahu has been reliant upon Hamas’s continued existence throughout the war.”
“The far right and Netanyahu have cited Hamas as a reason not to negotiate or plan for the future,” Zonszein says.
Israel’s Intentions Transcend Hamas
Despite Hamas’s offers to relinquish control and return all captives, the Israeli government remains unwavering in its refusal to negotiate an end to the conflict.
Over the past year, significant figures within Hamas have been killed, diminishing the group’s influence and capability. Yet, Israel has not wavered from its military campaign.
According to Hamzé Attar, a defense analyst based in Luxembourg, “Hamas’s proposal isn’t novel. It’s been on offer since before the invasion of Rafah, with Hamas essentially stating they’re willing to step aside.”
Israel, however, has spurned this proposal and lacks a clear plan for Gaza’s future post-war governance.
In the meantime, Israel’s bombing campaign continues, with many believing that the actual aim is to force Palestinians out of Gaza rather than to disable Hamas or secure the captives’ return.
The Pursuit of Ethnic Cleansing
Gaza is now branded the “hungriest place on Earth,” with its inhabitants at dire risk of famine due to the crippling of aid delivery enforced by Israel.
Israel is also turning large swaths of the region into no-go zones as its aerial bombardment persists.
Discarding the pretext of dismantling Hamas or retrieving hostages, some believe Israel’s deeper objective is to uproot Palestinians from Gaza.
“Neither Hamas nor the hostages are the principal targets. The objective is to squeeze the population into confined territories, encouraging them to leave the Strip,” argues Meron Rappaport, editor at Local Call.
“Israel is not fighting Hamas anymore,” he adds.
Israel intends to control all of Gaza by the end of its ongoing military operation, a plan that aligns with some interpretations of ethnic cleansing. This is a stance supported by a significant portion of the Israeli Jewish population.
Until international pressure forces an end to it, Palestinians will continue to face Israeli military actions, with Hamas serving as a convenient pretext.
“Benjamin Netanyahu has no intention of ending this war,” comments Mairav Zonszein, indicating that any resolution will have to come from external pressures, possibly from figures like Trump.
Additional reporting by Simon Speakman Cordall
