Right now, Hamas is a collection of frightened men who not long ago narrowly escaped an Israeli strike with advanced weaponry. They are in a room surrounded by Qatari guards, fully aware of what will happen to them if they say no to the deal Donald Trump has placed before them, because Qatar has given a commitment to the president of the United States.
To put this into perspective, just a few days ago, Israel appeared isolated on the international stage. Hamas, meanwhile, had an international coalition behind it—in the form of its Muslim supporters in Qatar, Turkey, and elsewhere, alongside the international campaign to delegitimize Israel, which Britain and co. recently joined by recognizing a Palestinian state.
Well, the tables have been turned. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump convinced Qatar and Turkey to make a blunt threat to Hamas: If you reject this deal, we’ll give the Israel Defense Forces the green light to continue their operation in Gaza City.
And so, the terror group that began this war with an unimaginable victory now finds itself in check: Either surrender, or reject the deal and watch its remaining Arab allies abandon it to certain checkmate.
So, will Hamas finally say yes? I spoke to Netanyahu two nights ago, and even he’s not sure how they’ll respond.
