What must Israel do to force Hamas to release all hostages, including captured Israeli men and soldiers?
Israel must continue military pressure. By taking babies, women, children and the elderly hostage, Hamas has committed serious war crimes and crimes against humanity. I had never heard of an organization taking babies and their mothers hostage in recent history. They also murdered and kidnapped foreign workers from Nepal and Thailand who had nothing to do with the Arab-Israeli conflict. Hamas has already killed two Israeli hostages. It is a Nazi terrorist entity like the Islamic State that must be destroyed like Nazi Germany and the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. The cowardly leaders, hiding in tunnels and using civilians as human shields, have released groups of hostages to delay the resumption of the Israeli military operation (the first ceasefire agreement called for 50 hostages for 150 Palestinian prisoners, but they are also proposing a long ceasefire before). to regroup and prepare for the next phase of the war) or to thwart military operations when Israel is close to finding them. Israel could also use special forces to forcibly release the hostages, as it did with one hostage, Ori Megidish.
Can Hamas and Israel reach a peace agreement?
No way. Anyone who has read Hamas’s letter, listened to its leaders’ statements, and followed their atrocities knows that they are committed to the destruction of Israel through violence and terrorism. They have opposed the Oslo peace process from day one and criticized and challenged the Palestinian Authority over its negotiations with Israel. Not surprisingly, on October 7th they committed the worst atrocities against Israelis since the end of the Holocaust. They have never been and never will be partners for peace.
What does the future of the Gaza Strip look like when the war between Israel and the Islamist organization ends?
Very dark. A poll conducted in Gaza a few days ago showed that 75% of respondents support Hamas and the atrocities it committed on October 7th. This reminds us of the enormous public support that the Nazis enjoyed in Germany from 1933 to 1945. The only way to rebuild Gaza would be to liberate it from Hamas, eliminate all military infrastructure and disgrace the population, as was the case with denazification in Germany after World War II.
Is it likely that Lebanon will be drawn into the conflict by increasing tensions on the northern border of Hezbollah’s politico-military militia?
Hezbollah, Iran’s terrorist organization and proxy, is attacking cities and towns in northern Israel. The Israeli government retaliates. Fighting is intensifying, but it appears that Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah is currently wary of waging an all-out war. However, a misjudgment or a change of heart by the pro-Iranian leadership could expand the fighting. If that happened, Beirut would look like Gaza. Additionally, U.S. forces stationed in the Eastern Mediterranean could spring into action to make good on Biden’s warning to Iran and Hezbollah to stay out of the war.