Israel’s war with Gaza is fed up despite growing international condemnation.
Hamas says a contract to end the war is ready and even offers to take over control of Gaza to the Technocrat government. Members of the UN Security Council voted overwhelmingly in favor of the ceasefire.
However, Israel, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has given up on rejecting an agreement that does not include what is called “Hamas’ defeat.”
“Hamas is already the weakest of all time, and nothing remotely comparable to what Israel has,” The Times Podcast Elia Ayoub, an Israeli and Palestinian author and researcher, told Al Jazeera.
“The only reason this genocide is going on is that Netanyahu wants to continue it, so there is now plenty of evidence. It’s clearly an excuse to continue the war.”
Netanyahu “rely relies on Hamas”
But why does Netanyahu want the longest and most economic crisis-causing war in Israel since 1948?
One answer is that war distracts Netanyahu’s own problems.
Israel’s longest serving prime minister has a well-documented legal issue. He is on trial for corruption.
And apart from that, if a permanent ceasefire occurs, some analysts believe that the Israeli Association will hold Netanyahu accountable for the security shortcomings that came to October 7th.
“He fears it will be done. He will look at corruption and the failure of October 7th and look at him,” said Diana Butz, a legal scholar and former advisor at the Palestinian Liberation Agency.
And Netanyahu has two main tasks. The first is to allow him to continue using it as an excuse to prolong the war and avoid accountability. The second is to prevent his government from disbanding, but somehow set himself up for another successful election that must take place by October 2026.
Netanyahu “relies on Hamas during the war,” Myrav Zonsein, an Israeli and Palestinian expert at international crisis groups, told Al Jazeera.
“The far right and Netanyahu have consistently used Hamas as an excuse not to negotiate or plan for the whole day,” she said.
Israel’s goals have nothing to do with Hamas
Israel refuses to negotiate the ultimate end of the war, in contrast to Hamas’ willingness to hand over all the prisoners held in Gaza.
Over the past 20 months, much of Hamas’ leadership has been killed. Hamas political leader Ismail Hanie was assassinated in Tehran on July 31, and his successor, Yahya Singwar, was killed in Gaza on October 16.
Israel now claims to have killed Singwar’s successor and younger brother Mohammed, but Hamas has yet to confirm his death.
Military, Hamas is estimated to have lost a great deal of power, analysts say. There are still some attacks, but fewer than ambush that could be carried out early in the war.
It also offered to resign from the administration of Palestinian territory, which has been ruled since 2006, and hand it over to the Technocratic government.
“The Technocrat offer is nothing new,” said Hamze Atter, a Luxembourg-based defense analyst from Gaza.
“It was on the table even before the Rafa invasion (which took place on May 6, 2024). They want to give up their arms to Hamas and give up everything.
It was firmly rejected by Israel. Israel does not support the post-war vision of Gaza.
Instead, in the last nearly 20 months, Israel has killed more than 54,300 Palestinians and injured more than 124,000 in Gaza.
Ethnic cleansing: Deeperful goals
What’s more, Gaza is now “the most hungry place on the planet.” According to the United Nations, all residents at risk of hunger were completely blocked from March 2 to May 27 after Israel strangled its aid offering during the war.
Israel has also converted 70% of the enclave into no-go zones.
Meanwhile, Israel’s bombing of Gaza continues.
Some analysts believe there is a deeper goal, discounting the pretext of destroying Hamas and returning prisoners. Push the Palestinians out of Gaza.
“Neither Hamas nor hostages are the target,” said Meron Rappaport, editor of Hebrew news website Local Call.
“The goal is to push Gaza people into a very small, closed area where there are very few foods delivered.
“Israel is no longer fighting Hamas,” he added.
Netanyahu said in late May that Israel would control the entire Gaza by the end of the latest attacks, but many foreign officials and experts said Israel’s actions were directly or implicitly warnings against ethnically cleansing Gaza.
A recent report from the Israeli newspaper, Harletz, cited 82% of Jewish Israelis who support the expulsion of the Gaza people.
To do so, Netanyahu said that with historical influences, he might feel that he could portray Israel as protecting it from the Palestinian state.
“He knows he’s going to be the fall guy or hero,” Batu said. “If he is the one who ethnically cleanses Gaza, he will be a hero.”
Until that happens, analysts believe that Palestinians will continue to die at the hands of Israeli forces. Hamas is an excuse, and their willingness to negotiate or succumb is secondary important.
“Benjamin Netanyahu has no intention of ending this war,” Zonsein said. “It doesn’t matter what Hamas offers. They can offer to return all hostages or give up on governance.
“This war will continue until Netanyahu is forced to stop it, and it will only come from Trump.”
(Source: Al Jazeera)