GNITN - Special Edition

Israel At War – Day 182

No Deal

Hamas Rejects Latest Deal

According to a report from The Jerusalem Post Hamas refused the latest hostage deal put before them:

Hamas rejected Israel's latest proposal to cease fighting and release hostages, according to a Friday CNN report.

According to an unnamed diplomat cited by CNN, “They refused and asserted it doesn’t include any reply to their asks.”

According to the diplomat, Hamas believed the “Israeli proposal includes nothing new, so they see no need to change their proposal,” the official added.

The report adds more details on the goals that weren’t met:

Negotiations were supposed to lead to a lasting ceasefire, per the UN Security Council resolution passed last month, and mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and the US have worked to try and broach a deal since the conflict broke out in October.

Negotiators were hoping to achieve a six-week ceasefire and a three-phase framework to secure the release of sick, elderly, and wounded hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners and increased humanitarian aid.

It looked promising, at least to the negotiators:

This round had looked more promising but ultimately came to naught, with Hamas refusing to keep negotiating unless Israel agreed to two major demands.

Hamas demanded that there be unrestricted return of Gazans to the north and that IDF troops would withdraw.

Continued talks are wanted, but Israel may not see the point now:

CIA Director William Burns, Mossad Director David Barnea, and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) Director Ronen Bar were expected to meet in Egypt this weekend to continue ceasefire talks.

However, the latest rejection by Hamas has led Israeli officials to publicly wonder whether there is any point in continuing negotiations, according to a report by public broadcaster KAN11.

The trio met last month in Doha for talks with mediators, but no clear breakthrough was reached.

Israel believes that more pressure be put on Hamas to get a deal done, but the pressure is only increasing on them to make changes after three drone strikes killed aid workers:

Israel is reportedly pushing both Egypt and Qatar to put pressure on Hamas, with threats to pull out of the Cairo negotiations fully.

Israel has been under increased pressure to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza since the start of the war.

Still, pressure increased last week after the killing of seven foreign aid workers led to the withdrawal of the aid organization's services.

America Is Now Israel’s Tactical Enemy

We learned about the phone call between Biden and Netanyahu and then the public comments from US officials who basically told Israel change or else in how they run the war. That phone call and fall out from both sides is still reverberating as we read in an article from CBN.com:

The president also told Netanyahu he wants a ceasefire deal without delay.

"He underscored as well that an immediate ceasefire is essential to stabilize and improve the humanitarian situation and protect innocent civilians, and he urged Prime Minister Netanyahu to empower his negotiators to conclude a deal without delay," Blinken elaborated.

Netanyahu made it clear that they will not stop the war until Hamas is defeated and others agree with him:

For Israel, that could mean losing the war, since Hamas continues to say it will agree to no ceasefire deal unless Israeli forces totally withdraw from Gaza.

Jeff Ballabon of the American Center for Law and Justice told CBN News a ceasefire would have dire consequences for Israel.

"The implication for that is that America has now become Israel's tactical enemy. In real terms, in practical terms, this is impossible, demanding that Israel lose this war. Israel cannot afford to lose this war. This is an existential war," Ballabon said.

He is exactly right. Netanyahu added a sentiment that he has put out before about the consequences of a permanent ceasefire:

Netanyahu maintains Israel must win its war against terrorist forces for the sake of the United States and the rest of the West.

"This is a larger battle. Our battle is your battle," Netanyahu declared. "Our victory is your victory. And if we don't have a victory, this will have enormous implications for American security, for our common future. So, we must win."

Israel Is Just As Bad As Hamas

Later in the same CBN.com article we read that Israel isn’t the only one taking heat:

In his call with Netanyahu, Biden expressed outrage about Israel's accidental killing of seven aid workers in Gaza Monday.

Though critics point out the U.S. did the same sort of thing with a drone strike during the Afghanistan withdrawal in 2021.

Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr, then the U.S. CENTCOM commander, claimed, "I am now convinced that as many as ten civilians, including up to seven children, were tragically killed in that strike."

That definitely puts the proverbial shoe on the other foot, but it gets worse:

Meanwhile, Blinken is taking heat for suggesting Israel could become like Hamas if it doesn't do more to reverence life in Gaza.

"That’s our strength," Blinken said. "It’s what distinguishes us from terrorists like Hamas. If we lose that reverence for human life, we risk becoming indistinguishable from those we confront."

And as I keep saying, Israel is getting to be more and more isolated from the international community when it should be Hamas that should be facing that intense scrutiny:

The latest disagreement between the White House and the Jewish nation comes as Israelis from all political viewpoints increasingly believe their country stands alone in the world.

In one of the more disparaging comments toward the Biden administration, Former Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. and Knesset Member Danny Danon told Kan Reshet Bet, regarding Gaza, "Our mistake was a few months ago when we listened to the U.S."

Danon rejected political opponent Benny Gantz's call for new elections and he insisted no one in leadership, from Netanyahu to the heads of security the military, and the cabinet should be replaced because of the U.S. threats.

Even more liberal members of Israel’s leadership is feeling the isolation:

From the left, a recent Bloomberg article quotes former Israeli Labor Party lawmaker Daniel Ben-Simon as saying, "Even for left liberals, there is a sense of isolation and frustration. The right will tell you this is the nature of being Jewish. But even people who hate Netanyahu are feeling they can’t count on the world community."

I believe that even as the walls are coming closer and closer around Israel, God will help them prevail as He always does:

Still, during a dark time for the nation, the ACLJ's Ballabon believes the people of Israel are resolved to endure, and many are turning to God.

"They feel 100% resolute. There is, of course, a large – and we have seen this since the beginning of the war – turning to God," Ballabon noted. "We see people who say things like, 'I'm not sure I'm a believer or never been a believer, but I'm keeping Shabbat,' or, 'I'm not sure I'm a believer but I'm going to say the Shema prayer or I'm going to wear Tzitzit because that's what unifies the Jewish people.' Let me tell you, Chris, people who say that think they're not believers, that is the ultimate statement of belief."

And that’s a good place for an Amen!