Analysts in Israeli media are divided on whether Hamas truly fears a coming IDF operation in the Gaza Strip or not. Israeli political analysts of the Arab world speaking to Israeli media today (Thursday) are divided on whether Israel's plan to occupy Gaza City and eliminate the Hamas forces located there truly fear the coming operation or not, and what that says about the prospects for a hostage deal on Israel's terms.
On the one hand, analyst Tzvi Yehezkeli speaking to i24 News says that he believes that Hamas feels in control and with the upper hand in negotiations. He noted the near-successful raid on an IDF resting area as a sign that Hamas is far from "broken" and seeking to restore its strength in the Gaza Strip.
While Yehezkeli said that he believes it is necessary to occupy all of Gaza, he thinks that the delays and the threats Israel is making sound like a bluff to Hamas, which therefore does not take it seriously. Meanwhile, Kann analyst Elior Levi said that a Palestinian source familiar with the negotiation details said that Hamas does indeed fear an IDF occupation of Gaza City - primarily because it would mean the creation of a Rafah 2.0, meaning a zone Hamas does not control and which is governed by armed militias not beholden to it. (Read More)
