It’s impossible to declare victory while the leaders of Hamas intend to remain political actors in the peace consolidation process and material reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.
Nothing could give us more satisfaction than a deal that puts an end to the suffering of so many innocent people in Gaza, including, of course, the surviving Israeli hostages from the terrorist massacre on Oct. 7, 2023. It’s a success for President Donald Trump, who knew how to combine two favorable yet opposing circumstances at the most opportune moment. The first circumstance, the near complete defeat of Hamas and its allies by the Israeli army, and the second, the international pressure campaign to put an end to the bombing of the Palestinian civilian population that was undermining the standing of Benjamin Netanyahu and some of his less ultra-nationalist allies in the Tel Aviv administration.
Even so, it’s not possible to declare victory while the leaders of Hamas intend to remain political actors in the peace consolidation process and material reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, hoping to repeat the past in which the Islamist organization’s structures ultimately seized control of international aid, diverting much of it to replace lost or unusable weapons and to build new tunnels.
If this very real threat is not averted, no matter how battered the terror militias are, and if Hamas is not destroyed as the governing organization imposed on the Gazan population for more than two decades, it will be impossible to guarantee a definitive, lasting peace, which is what the Palestinians and Israelis need to move forward. Peace, but also the time needed to heal the deep wounds that have opened up in a society that today is living with their backs to each other, separated by both physical and mental walls.
The White House, the only international administration with influence over the Israeli prime minister, will have to keep a very close watch on the implementation of the peace agreements, especially those that guarantee a government of technocrats dedicated to rebuilding and supplying the population with the most basic public services. These are professional teams, supervised and supported by foreign forces, over whom the bearded men of Hamas and their client networks have no power whatsoever. It must be emphasized that these networks are nests of endemic corruption and repression of any dissidence.
Otherwise, the peace process will be a pipe dream, as will the Palestinian people’s hope of finding a way out of the futile violence toward becoming a nation worthy of recognition on the international stage. With Iran relapsing, and the terrorist groups sponsored by Iran being hit hard by Israel during hard times, it’s easier to dream about the idea of peace.
Con Hamás no habrá una paz duradera
No es posible cantar victoria, en tanto los dirigentes de Hamás intenten mantenerse como actores polÃticos en el proceso de consolidación de la paz y reconstrucción material de la Franja
Aun asÃ, no es posible cantar victoria, en tanto los dirigentes de Hamás intenten mantenerse como actores polÃticos en el proceso de consolidación de la paz y reconstrucción material de la Franja, con la idea de repetir situaciones anteriores, en las que las estructuras de la organización islamista acababan por hacerse con el control de los fondos de ayuda internacional, desviando buena parte a la reposición del armamento perdido o inutilizado y a la construcción de nuevos túneles.
The message is unmistakable: there are no absolute guarantees and state sovereignty is conditional when it clashes with the interests of powerful states.
The message is unmistakable: there are no absolute guarantees and state sovereignty is conditional when it clashes with the interests of powerful states.