Israel and Hamas Exchange Fire, Raising Concerns of Renewed Conflict

What Happened?

Hamas killed two Israeli soldiers, and Israel launched several airstrikes killing dozens of Palestinians less than a week after the cease fire deal between the two was put in place. Hamas has also been killing Palestinian civilians whom they accused of opposing their continued rule, including at least one public execution. 

Israel also briefly halted aid deliveries into Gaza, but despite the recent hostilities both Hamas and Israel insist the ceasefire arrangement is still in place.

Why it Matters

Israel and Hamas have accused each other of violating the terms of the ceasefire, and those accusations are what led to the recent exchange of fire between the two. Hamas has clearly not disarmed. Since the ceasefire its fighters have come out of hiding to intimidate and kill Palestinian civilians, in clear violation of the terms of the peace deal. Egypt and Saudi Arabia have threatened to withhold funding to rebuild Gaza if Hamas remains in charge. 

Over the weekend, senior officials in Israel’s government called for a resumption of full-scale hostilities against Hamas, but thus far that has not happened. The Israeli public has long sought to bring the war to a close, and the with return of the remaining hostages, few Israelis want to resume the war. There will likely be political ramifications for Prime Minister Netanyahu in Israel that may resemble Winston Chruchill’s fate in Britain, who was voted out of office after helping defeat the Nazis in World War II. 

The root cause of the ceasefire violation is the refusal of Hamas to disarm and give up control of Gaza. Its rank-and-file fighters, along with Hamas leaders, appear unfazed by the death and destruction in Gaza, mainly because they do not believe in the concept of peaceful coexistence with Israel. Hamas is a cult of death, and they will not stop terrorizing Palestinians or killing Israelis. If Hamas remains armed and in power, then the situation in Gaza will be right back to where it was before the October 7^th attacks on Israel.

It's clear Hamas has no plans to disarm or relinquish power in Gaza. What’s less clear is whether Israel or the international community is willing to use force to change that since the prevailing sentiment is to end hostilities at any cost. 

How it Affects You

Brokering a ceasefire was a win for the Trump Administration, but declarations of a new age of peace in the Middle East have been proven to be premature. If Hamas remains in power in Gaza, it’s just a matter of time before they launch new attacks against Israel and the Palestinians.