Israel’s Elusive Victory: Analyzing the Military Stalemate in Gaza

By: M. Sharifi

But what we see now, after all this time, is that Israel has utterly failed to achieve any of these objectives. Even the Western media admits that Israel's efforts to destroy Hamas have been in vain since Hamas' leadership still leads the resistance in Gaza. Furthermore, Israel's military endeavor to secure the release of prisoners has been a resounding failure. Further to Netanyahu's chagrin, thousands of Israeli soldiers and officers have lost their lives on the battlefield. In light of these developments, a former American intelligence officer, Scott Ritter, acknowledged that Hamas has emerged victorious in both military and political aspects. In an extensive interview with Al Jazeera Net, Ritter argued that Israel has to reevaluate its goals as its military strategy in Gaza has not succeeded in breaking down Hamas.

Now that Israel's military defeat has become an inevitable reality and its objectives in the Gaza War remain unfulfilled, Zionists and their Western allies are waving the white flag of truce and pleading with Hamas leaders to agree to an end to hostilities. In this regard, Israel has accepted the ceasefire plan that was approved at the recent meeting in Paris, according to Majed bin Mohammad Al-Ansari, the spokesman for Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The United States, Israel, Qatar, and Egypt endorsed a three-stage ceasefire plan during their meeting in Paris. The first stage of the plan calls for the release of women, children, the elderly, and the sick. The final approval of Hamas is now awaited. At the Paris meeting, Israeli representative David Barnea, who is also head of the Mossad, gave a detailed explanation of the first stage: 35 Israeli prisoners who are still alive will be released in return for a 35-day ceasefire.

This equates to "a day of truce in exchange for the release of a prisoner. Thereafter, the prospect of proceeding forward with the agreement's second phase will be deliberated upon over the course of a week-long negotiation period, simultaneous with the extension of the ceasefire. This stage involves the release of Israeli soldiers.

Ultimately, in the third stage, the remains of deceased Israeli troops will be surrendered in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners. Although there is a purported cessation of military operations during all three stages of this exchange, a Reuters source with direct knowledge of the situation indicates that even if Hamas accepts the framework, there may be serious challenges in implementing it, including the terms of the ceasefire agreements and the hostage exchange, which could cause the process to take days or even weeks longer than expected.

Ironically, the Israeli regime, which had declared its intent to destroy Hamas and all of its leaders, including Yahya Sinwar, is now waiting specifically for approval of a cease-fire. Against Israel's sense of urgency, Hamas takes a more calculated approach, delaying acceptance of the Paris ceasefire proposal by tying it to guarantees that ensure its implementation. Senior Hamas leader Mahmoud Mardawi emphasized that any deal had to take into account the conditions of the Palestinian resistance, including the release of Palestinian prisoners, the permanent cessation of hostilities in Gaza, and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Palestinian enclave. Mardawi further highlighted the Zionist regime's inconsistent position regarding the proposed ceasefire plan, expressing Hamas' intent to further examine the proposal and subsequently announce their final response.

As the stalemate persists and the prospect of a ceasefire hangs precariously, the Middle East continues to grapple with the implications of the protracted conflict in Gaza. The aftermath of the Gaza war demands a comprehensive study that extends beyond the immediate circumstances. Only through a nuanced understanding of the multifaceted factors at play can we hope to find a viable path towards lasting peace in Palestine.