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Despite Difficult Choices, Defeating Hamas Is the Only Path Towards Israeli-Palestinian Peace
Israelis and hostage families watch a screening of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he addresses Congress on a visit to the US, amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, at the so-called “Hostages Square,” in Tel Aviv, Israel, July 24, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes
Last weekend was a very tragic one for Israelis and Jews, as the IDF discovered the bodies of six hostages executed by Hamas in order to prevent them from being rescued and returned home.
The murder of the hostages triggered demonstrations against the Israeli government, which were further aggravated by Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech delivered a day after the murders where he reaffirmed the need to control the Philadelphi Corridor. The Corridor is a strip of land approximately 8.5 miles long between Gaza and Egypt, which has been used to smuggle weapons, personnel, and equipment to Hamas for years.
Protestors argue that the cabinet’s decision and Netanyahu’s speech undermined the chances of reaching a deal to bring the hostages home.
The protests, President Joe Biden’s comments questioning Netanyahu’s intentions, and the arms embargo imposed by the UK on Israel, have all contributed to strengthening Hamas’ position in the negotiations.
A recent Hamas document quoted by the German newspaper Bild reveals Hamas’ negotiating strategy. The terror group seeks to exert psychological pressure on the families of the prisoners to build public pressure on the Israeli government. The Hamas document does not mention the Philadelphi Corridor or the humanitarian needs of Gazans.
It appears, unsurprisingly, that Hamas is less concerned about ending the war and more interested in creating chaos in Israel and isolating the Jewish State in the international arena. Likewise, it seeks to survive as the ruling party in Gaza and continue to threaten the security of Israelis.
Hamas seeks to make the Israeli public agree to any terms in exchange for the hostages — and cast Israel as the villain for blocking a “ceasefire.”
And Hamas’ strategy is working.
Across the free world, Hamas’ role in the war is barely acknowledged — in fact, it is non-existent. Hamas is demanding a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and seeks to return to the situation prior to October 7.
No wonder US National Security communications aide John Kirby recently held the terror group responsible for the stagnation in the negotiation.
Yet, despite Netanyahu’s controversial speech, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer said in an interview to Bloomberg that Israel may agree to withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor in the second phase of a deal, meaning after partial Israeli withdrawal from certain areas in Gaza.
But that’s not a possibility without looking at Egypt’s role. Egypt has enabled Hamas to smuggle weapons to Gaza either by looking the other way, or because of their own internal corruption. Egyptians have refused to provide Israel any assurances that they will not allow such border trafficking of people or weapons (including the hostages).
It is not clear how much pressure the United States has applied on Egypt to fully secure the border, and if the Egyptian government has given any credible assurances.
Most recently, the Egyptian Armed Forces chief of staff visited the Egyptian-Gaza border in an attempt to send the message that Egypt is indeed in control of the border.
However, to trust Egypt after all these years of border chaos and anarchy will be hard.
Some voices in the Israeli security establishment even argue that Israel needs to focus on a hostage deal and then come back to the Philadelphi Corridor or resume the war if necessary. Netanyahu seems to think that if an agreement is signed, it will be impossible to return to Gaza to complete the mission of destroying Hamas — both logistically and because of international pressure.
But even if Hamas’ firepower is destroyed, there is one piece that is conspicuously missing: who will rule Gaza after Hamas?
Answering this question is the key to securing a more promising future for Israelis and Palestinians. But the current reality offers no clear path.
The massive flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza has strengthened Hamas. Hamas seizes the humanitarian aid and uses it as leverage to recruit fighters.
That’s why former Israeli National Security advisor Giora Eiland, along with other generals, published the so-called “Generals Plan.”
The plan proposes to cut humanitarian aid and move the 300,000 Gazans currently residing in Northern Gaza to the Strip’s south. The IDF will then impose a siege on northern Gaza. The terrorists who refuse to evacuate will remain in this territory without humanitarian aid thus leaving them with the choice to surrender or die of hunger. Humanitarian aid will continue in the rest of the Gaza Strip.
If necessary, General Eiland pointed out, “we can replicate the siege of Northern Gaza to other areas in the Gaza Strip.”
The plan sounds creative and, in the best-case scenario, Hamas may release some hostages, but as Eiland himself pointed out, nothing would threaten Hamas more than an alternative Palestinian government in Gaza.
But even this path looks difficult. According to Israeli analyst Ehud Yaari, Hamas would agree to form a technocratic government with other Palestinian partners. That government would attend civil matters while Hamas would remain in charge of security (meaning it would rebuild their terrorist infrastructure).
Hamas has also demanded the removal of Fatah’s control over the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO). Some key current and former Fatah leaders such as Mohammed Dahlan, a former Security Chief in Gaza who is critical of Hamas, believe that the post Gaza government must include Hamas. Hamas seems to have lobbied Palestinians from all persuasions to include them in a future Gazan government.
Yet, former Palestinian foreign minister Nasser Al Qudwa was not intimidated by such Hamas’ power. He, along with former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, drew a up a proposal for a permanent peace. The plan, presented in late August, attempts to revive an old Olmert idea of creating a demilitarized Palestinian state with a policing system, a multi nation trusteeship of Old Jerusalem, plus an Arab peacekeeping force in Gaza after the war ends.
The two former leaders suggest creating a Palestinian technocratic governing council in Gaza linked to the Palestinian Authority, stating that after two years, the West Bank and Gaza should conduct elections. But it’s not clear whether this proposal rules out allowing Hamas to run in the elections.
Prime Minister Netanyahu has rejected the possibility of returning Abbas and the PA to Gaza, arguing they indoctrinate their children to hate and kill Jews, and pay the families of terrorists.
The PA is indeed weak, and has difficulties exerting control over the West Bank, let alone Gaza. However, it is precisely Mahmoud Abbas, the head of Fath and the Palestinian Authority, who has conditioned Hamas’ participation to its acceptance of the Oslo Accords.
So, it appears there is no other option but to strengthen Fatah, which is the most moderate faction. On the other hand, the Biden administration’s insistence on quickly moving towards a two-state solution will not work.
The Palestinian leadership rejected the two-state solution at Camp David (2000), at Taba (2001), and later in 2008 precisely because Fatah was under the threat of the dissident groups. There is no reason why it will succeed now, except if Hamas is removed.
Therefore, the Israeli government and its American allies must continue to do everything possible to eradicate Hamas. It’s the only way peace can come to the region.
Luis Fleischman, Ph.D is a professor of Sociology at Palm Beach State College, the author of The Middle East Riddle: A Study of the Middle East Peace Process and Israeli-Arab Relations in Changing Times, and a member of the Academic Engagement Network.
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Switzerland Moves to Close Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s Geneva Office Over Legal Irregularities
Palestinians carry aid supplies received from the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in the central Gaza Strip, May 29, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Ramadan Abed/File Photo
Switzerland has moved to shut down the Geneva office of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US- and Israeli-backed aid group, citing legal irregularities in its establishment.
The GHF began distributing food packages in Gaza in late May, implementing a new aid delivery model aimed at preventing the diversion of supplies by Hamas, as Israel continues its defensive military campaign against the Palestinian terrorist group.
The initiative has drawn criticism from the UN and international organizations, some of which have claimed that Jerusalem is causing starvation in the war-torn enclave.
Israel has vehemently denied such accusations, noting that, until its recently imposed blockade, it had provided significant humanitarian aid in the enclave throughout the war.
Israeli officials have also said much of the aid that flows into Gaza is stolen by Hamas, which uses it for terrorist operations and sells the rest at high prices to Gazan civilians.
With a subsidiary registered in Geneva, the GHF — headquartered in Delaware — reports having delivered over 56 million meals to Palestinians in just one month.
According to a regulatory announcement published Wednesday in the Swiss Official Gazette of Commerce, the Federal Supervisory Authority for Foundations (ESA) may order the dissolution of the GHF if no creditors come forward within the legal 30-day period.
The Trump administration did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the Swiss decision to shut down its Geneva office.
“The GHF confirmed to the ESA that it had never carried out activities in Switzerland … and that it intends to dissolve the Geneva-registered branch,” the ESA said in a statement.
Last week, Geneva authorities gave the GHF a 30-day deadline to address legal shortcomings or risk facing enforcement measures.
Under local laws and regulations, the foundation failed to meet several requirements: it did not appoint a board member authorized to sign documents domiciled in Switzerland, did not have the minimum three board members, lacked a Swiss bank account and valid address, and operated without an auditing body.
The GHF operates independently from UN-backed mechanisms, which Hamas has sought to reinstate, arguing that these vehicles are more neutral.
Israeli and American officials have rejected those calls, saying Hamas previously exploited UN-run systems to siphon aid for its war effort.
The UN has denied those allegations while expressing concerns that the GHF’s approach forces civilians to risk their safety by traveling long distances across active conflict zones to reach food distribution points.
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Key US Lawmaker Warns Ireland of Potential Economic Consequences for ‘Antisemitic Path’ Against Israel
US Sen. James Risch (R-ID) speaks during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, Washington, DC, May 21, 2024. Photo: Graeme Sloan/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman James Risch (R-ID) issued a sharp warning Tuesday, accusing Ireland of embracing antisemitism and threatening potential economic consequences if the Irish government proceeds with new legislation targeting Israeli trade.
“Ireland, while often a valuable U.S. partner, is on a hateful, antisemitic path that will only lead to self-inflicted economic suffering,” Risch wrote in a post on X. “If this legislation is implemented, America will have to seriously reconsider its deep and ongoing economic ties. We will always stand up to blatant antisemitism.”
Marking a striking escalation in rhetoric from a senior US lawmaker, Risch’s comments came amid growing tensions between Ireland and Israel, which have intensified dramatically since the Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Those attacks, in which roughly 1,200 Israelis were killed and more than 200 taken hostage, prompted a months-long Israeli military campaign in Gaza that has drawn widespread international scrutiny. Ireland has positioned itself as one of the most vocal critics of Israel’s response, accusing the Israeli government of disproportionate use of force and calling for immediate humanitarian relief and accountability for the elevated number of Palestinian civilian casualties.
Dublin’s stance has included tangible policy shifts. In May 2024, Ireland formally recognized a Palestinian state, becoming one of the first European Union members to do so following the outbreak of the war in Gaza. The move was condemned by Israeli officials, who recalled their ambassador to Ireland and accused the Irish government of legitimizing terrorism. Since then, Irish lawmakers have proposed further measures, including legislation aimed at restricting imports from Israeli settlements in the West Bank, policies viewed in Israel and among many American lawmakers as aligning with the controversial Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
While Irish leaders have defended their approach as grounded in international law and human rights, critics in Washington, including Risch, have portrayed it as part of a broader pattern of hostility toward Israel. Some US lawmakers have begun raising the possibility of reevaluating trade and diplomatic ties with Ireland in response.
Risch’s warning is one of the clearest indications yet that Ireland’s policies toward Israel could carry economic consequences. The United States is one of Ireland’s largest trading partners, and American companies such as Apple, Google, Meta and Pfizer maintain substantial operations in the country, drawn by Ireland’s favorable tax regime and access to the EU market.
Though the Trump administration has not echoed Risch’s warning, the remarks reflect growing unease in Washington about the trajectory of Ireland’s foreign policy. The State Department has maintained a careful balancing act, expressing strong support for Israel’s security while calling for increased humanitarian access in Gaza. Officials have stopped short of condemning Ireland’s actions directly but have expressed concern about efforts they see as isolating Israel on the international stage.
Ireland’s stance is emblematic of a growing international divide over the war. While the US continues to provide military and diplomatic backing to Israel, many European countries have called for an immediate ceasefire and investigations into alleged war crimes.
Irish public opinion has long leaned pro-Palestinian, and Irish lawmakers have repeatedly voiced concern over the scale of destruction in Gaza and the dire humanitarian situation.
Irish officials have not yet responded to The Algemeiner’s request for comment.
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Israel Condemns Iran’s Suspension of IAEA Cooperation, Urges Europe to Reinstate UN Sanctions
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar at a press conference in Berlin, Germany, June 5, 2025. REUTERS/Christian Mang/File Photo
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar on Wednesday condemned Iran’s decision to halt cooperation with the UN’s nuclear watchdog and called on the international community to reinstate sanctions to curb Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.
“Iran has just issued a scandalous announcement about suspending its cooperation with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency),” Saar wrote in a post on X. “This is a complete renunciation of all its international nuclear obligations and commitments.”
Last week, the Iranian parliament voted to suspend cooperation with the IAEA “until the safety and security of [the country’s] nuclear activities can be guaranteed.”
“The IAEA and its Director-General are fully responsible for this sordid state of affairs,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote in a post on X.
The top Iranian diplomat said this latest decision was “a direct result of [IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi’s] regrettable role in obfuscating the fact that the Agency — a full decade ago — already closed all past issues.
“Through this malign action,” Araghchi continued, “he directly facilitated the adoption of a politically-motivated resolution against Iran by the IAEA [Board of Governors] as well as the unlawful Israeli and US bombings of Iranian nuclear sites.”
The Parliament of Iran has voted for a halt to collaboration with the IAEA until the safety and security of our nuclear activities can be guaranteed.
This is a direct result of @rafaelmgrossi‘s regrettable role in obfuscating the fact that the Agency—a full decade ago—already…
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) June 27, 2025
On Wednesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian approved a bill banning UN nuclear inspectors from entering the country until the Supreme National Security Council decides that there is no longer a threat to the safety of its nuclear sites.
In response, Saar urged European countries that were part of the now-defunct 2015 nuclear deal to activate its “snapback” clause and reinstate all UN sanctions lifted under the agreement.
Officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), this accord between Iran and several world powers imposed temporary restrictions on Tehran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.
During his first term, US President Donald Trump withdrew from the deal and reinstated unilateral sanctions on Iran.
“The time to activate the Snapback mechanism is now! I call upon the E3 countries — Germany, France and the UK to reinstate all sanctions against Iran!” Saar wrote in a post on X.
“The international community must act decisively now and utilize all means at its disposal to stop Iranian nuclear ambitions,” he continued.
The time to activate the Snapback mechanism is now!
I call upon the E3 countries- Germany, France and the UK to reinstate all sanctions against Iran!
Iran has just issued a scandalous announcement about suspending its cooperation with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy…— Gideon Sa’ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) July 2, 2025
Saar’s latest remarks come after Araghchi met last week in Geneva with his counterparts from Britain, France, Germany and the European Union’s Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas — their first meeting since the Iran-Israel war began.
Europe is actively urging Iran to reengage in talks with the White House to prevent further escalation of tensions, but has yet to address the issue of reinstating sanctions.
Speaking during an official visit to Latvia on Tuesday, Saar said that “Operation Rising Lion” — Israel’s sweeping military campaign aimed at dismantling Iran’s nuclear capabilities — has “revealed the full extent of the Iranian regime’s threat to Israel, Europe, and the global order.”
“Iran deliberately targeted civilian population centers with its ballistic missiles,” Saar said at a press conference. “The same missile threat can reach Europe, including Latvia and the Baltic states.”
“Israel’s actions against the head of the snake in Iran contributed directly to the safety of Europe,” the Israeli top diplomat continued, adding that Israeli strikes have set back the Iranian nuclear program by many years.
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