After nearly two years of Israel Defense Forces operations that destroyed most of Hamas' infrastructure, eliminated thousands of its terrorists, and devastated much of Gaza's urban landscape, IDF soldiers stand at a "night encampment" near Gaza City's gates, preparing to conquer it and free Israeli hostages.
Despite IDF achievements, Gaza City remains a symbolic and administrative stronghold for Hamas. Encouraged by Qatar, the terrorist organization operates a quasi-state emirate from there, complete with "ministries," government offices, a municipality, and an operational, administrative, and logistical system. Gaza City's continued functioning – with Israel's shackled hostages held captive in its tunnels – grants Hamas terrorists and their foreign benefactors the ability to reject all mediation proposals, believing it improves their position.
Israel is now engaged in a heated debate – What is the operation's purpose? Will it secure the hostages' release? Will it advance "absolute victory"? Or is it a weak psychological maneuver to pressure Hamas and other mediators? Can the mere feasibility of an operation serve as leverage against Hamas? And what will be the cost in soldiers' and hostages' lives?
Before the operation beings, its potential impact on the required objectives – freeing the hostages and crushing Hamas – must be assessed. Assuming Hamas' considerations are irrational is a mistake. Hamas leaders operate with their own rational and faith-based logic, rooted in Islamic interpretations of the Quran and Hadith (sayings attributed to Muhammad) that explain Allah's will. For years, sermons in madrasas and mosques have indoctrinated followers with tales promising divine intervention by Allah's angels for "mujahideen," a paradise filled with women, sex, and wine for those killed, and a perfumed corpse if eliminated. Conversely, dissenters face death.
Murder as a religious value
Islamic doctrine demands patience amid the pain, death, and destruction experienced by Gazans, as Zionists also suffer – and victory will come. An Arab proverb captures this – "The difference between failure and victory is an hour of patience and steadfastness." The "mujahideen" are willing to lose both eyes, as long as they can take one Israeli eye. Senior clerics brainwash followers with Muhammad's legacy and fatwas that contradict the Quran's designation of Jews as the "chosen people" inheriting the Land of Israel. These fatwas permit the murder of Jewish women and children to "liberate Palestine." Theological debate contradicting this rigid belief system, even using Quranic verses, is doomed to fail. There is no one to reason with.
Another rational factor (in Western terms) driving Hamas' defiance is support from Islamic Arab states, providing covert and overt financial, operational, and moral backing. The global Muslim Brotherhood, which undermines the security of Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Gulf states, operates and incites in these countries, as well as in Europe and the United States. Open supporters include Qatar, Yemen, Turkey, and Syria.
An Arab proverb states, "They made the thief the guard." Qatar is the primary orchestrator of Hamas' bloodshed. Under absurd American protection, Qatar poses as a "mediator" in the hostage crisis while acting as the global Islamic terror bank and propaganda hub via Al-Jazeera. Qatar bears responsibility for funding and promoting Hamas' terrorism and defiance, in line with the Muslim Brotherhood's ideology. The Al-Thani family, ruling Qatar, is accountable for the murder of thousands of Israelis, the deaths of tens of thousands of Gazans, and Gaza's total destruction.
Vision for Israel's collapse
Another rational factor bolstering Hamas is perceived Israeli weaknesses – internal divisions, sensitivity to casualties and soldiers' lives, conscription crises, protests, and statements by Israeli generals and leaders. Above all, the visible anguish of Israeli society over the hostages strengthens Hamas' resolve, aligning with their Quranic vision of Israel's collapse.
Rising antisemitism in Europe further fuels Hamas' defiance. Despite Hamas' murderous massacre and polls showing majority Palestinian support for Hamas in Judea and Samaria, European nations condemn Israel and support rewarding Hamas with recognition of a Palestinian state.
Whereas until October 7, 2023, Hamas was considered a reason for impossibility of a Palestinian state in our region (and therefore the organization was "maintained" by Israel) – now, after proving this organization's murderousness, European countries seek to make it a leader in a state within the family of nations. European hatred of Israel, once in "remission," has resurfaced. Those who failed to destroy Jews in Auschwitz now pursue them in the Middle East to finish the task. For the first time in the history of warfare, the attacked is forced to provide food and aid to its attacker
Having invested its wealth in fortification and recruiting death-seeking terrorists, Hamas attacked Israel and found itself crushed, with thousands of dead in Gaza's streets amid apocalyptic destruction. Its only remaining bargaining chip is 50 Israeli hostages – its last insurance policy. Yet, despite its desperate state, Hamas rejects even a "Beirut model" deal for hostage release and exile, as was done with Yasser Arafat.
The response that could compel Hamas to surrender the hostages is the complete physical destruction of its symbolic and administrative stronghold – Gaza City. Civilians must first be evacuated, followed by relentless aerial bombardment to level the city. After all, continuing the current situation risks the hostages' lives, but the operational assumption is that Hamas will move the hostages during the initial strikes, as they are its last insurance policy. There is no need to send soldiers into Gaza – only to crush and flatten it from the air. The final act should be footage of a column of Merkava tanks advancing along what remains of Omar Al-Mukhtar Street to the Gaza coast, through the ruins of the Rimal neighborhood.
