David Israel
3 Sivan 5785 – May 30, 2025
Members of the Al-Qassam Brigades, the ‘military wing’ of Hamas (one of them a Yankees fan), attend the funeral of terrorists killed by the IDF in the Al-Shati neighborhood, Gaza City, February 28, 2025.
A senior Hamas official told the BBC early Friday morning that the terrorist group will reject the latest U.S. proposal for a new ceasefire and hostage release agreement in Gaza. The Hamas official said the proposal failed to meet the group’s core demands, including a complete end to the war.
The Israeli government did not issue an official comment, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly told families of the hostages on Thursday that he accepted Witkoff’s plan.
Yesterday, I wrote (Witkoff Offers Major Concessions to Hamas, Leaves Half the Hostages Behind) that this is an atrocious deal, reversing all of Israel’s gains over the past two and a half months of fighting and reviving the fast-declining Hamas. An online survey in Hebrew by blogger Abu Ali Express indicated that 69% of the 28,500 votes oppose the deal (77% oppose it when you exclude those without an opinion).
On Thursday night, the White House stated that while Israel had accepted the new proposal, Hamas had yet to respond. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said negotiations were still underway and any agreement, if reached, would be announced by the United States.
IT’S A VERY BAD PLAN
Haaretz reported Friday morning that the draft agreement for a ceasefire includes the following key clauses:
1. A 60-day ceasefire, with President Trump guaranteeing that Israel will halt all military activity during this period.
This essentially means that the IDF would be barred from responding to Hamas terrorist provocation without asking for US approval. If we thought Biden was depriving Israel of the power to defend itself properly, Trump would be sitting on our necks to appease his Saudi and Qatari business partners.
2. Hamas will release 10 live hostages and 18 bodies of hostages—half on the first day and half on the seventh day of the ceasefire.
This kisses away the policy of demanding that all our hostages be released at once, allowing Hamas to retain its power to influence Israeli politics through the remaining ten or so living hostages.
3. Humanitarian aid will enter the Gaza Strip once Hamas agrees to the deal. The aid will continue for the full duration of the ceasefire and will be distributed through mutually acceptable channels, including the UN and the Red Cross.
This robs the IDF of its success in denying Hamas the power to distribute food and medicine to Gazans. As soon as the source of humanitarian aid moved to the four delivery centers protected by Israel, Hamas started losing its clout, including its ability to stop Gazans from raiding its storehouses. Taking this power away from Israel would mean the revival of Hamas, its control over the civilian population, and its ability to recruit new terrorists.
4. Israel will halt all offensive operations once the agreement takes effect. No Israeli aerial activity will occur over Gaza for 10 hours daily—extended to 12 hours on days when hostages are released.
5. On the first day of the ceasefire, after the release of five hostages and nine bodies, the IDF will redeploy in northern Gaza and along the Netzarim corridor in accordance with humanitarian aid provisions and agreed-upon maps. On the seventh day, following the second release, the IDF will redeploy in southern Gaza similarly.
This would mean giving up the military and territorial gains won since mid-March. If Israel wished to retake those assets after 60 days, it would have to spill its soldiers’ blood anew. Once again, Hamas is able to force Israelis to fight over whose lives are more precious, the hostages or the soldiers.
6. Indirect talks through mediators will begin on day one of the ceasefire to negotiate a permanent agreement. Topics include the release of all remaining hostages, the release of terrorist prisoners, IDF withdrawal, long-term security arrangements, and post-war governance in Gaza.
In other words, it’s a gift to Hamas for committing the atrocities of October 7.
7. President Trump is committed to upholding the terms of the agreement and will ensure that any successful negotiations during the ceasefire lead to a lasting resolution of the conflict.
You’ll notice there is no concrete definition here of what constitutes a lasting resolution: does Hamas remain in place? Do the 2.2 million Gazans also stay put among the ruins? Would Hamas agree to any of the imaginative solutions Trump has come up with? Most likely, not.
8. In exchange for the 10 live hostages, Israel will release 125 prisoners serving life sentences and 1,111 Gazans detained after October 7. For the 18 bodies of hostages, Israel will return 180 Gazan bodies. Releases will be simultaneous and without ceremony—half on the first day, the rest on the seventh.
And we thought Israel was going to punish the murderers, rapists, and baby burners of October 7. Sometimes we are so naïve.
9. On the tenth day, Hamas will provide information about the remaining hostages, including signs of life or confirmation of death. In return, Israel will provide data on detained Gazans and the bodies in its custody. Hamas must guarantee the hostages’ health and safety during the ceasefire.
After more than 600 days, these killers will finally provide an account of who’s alive and who’s not, almost like civilized humans.
10. Remaining hostages will be released if a permanent ceasefire is agreed upon within 60 days. If talks are still ongoing at the end of the ceasefire, the truce may be extended to complete negotiations.
And Hamas continues to hold on to its hostages.
11. The U.S., Egypt, and Qatar will guarantee the ceasefire’s 60-day duration and any agreed extensions. They will also oversee serious efforts toward a permanent resolution.
12. Steve Witkoff will arrive in the region to lead the negotiations and finalize the agreement.
13. President Trump will personally announce the agreement and ensure U.S. commitment to the negotiation process until a final deal is reached.
As I said in the headline, thank God for Hamas’s rejection of this terrible deal.
Content retrieved from: https://www.jewishpress.com/?p=738108.
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