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A march in London in support of bringing home to Israel the hostages held in Gaza.
Hamas needs the ceasefire
But more important maybe, on an emotional level, is the mobilization of the Israeli public around the return of the hostages. On Saturday evening, in the center of Tel Aviv, an estimated 100,000 people gathered to mark 50 days since the Oct. 7 attack.
It thus seems impossible for the Israeli government to resume the war Tuesday if it has the opportunity to save more hostages — people would just not bear it.
It is through the ceasefire, not war, that Israel is able to recover the hostages.
The agreement, signed under Qatari supervision, stipulates that the ceasefire can be extended by 24 hours for every additional 10 released hostages. Hamas has expressed its readiness to do so — which is in its interest: It is in dire need of a prolonged pause after the relentless bombings. And it holds onto the Israeli soldiers it captured on Oct. 7 in reserve: They will be the subject of a separate negotiation, at a higher price.
The Israeli government is opposed to a ceasefire. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was with his troops in Gaza on Sunday, wearing a bulletproof vest and helmet, to reaffirm the three objectives of the war: recover all hostages, eliminate Hamas, prevent Gaza from becoming a threat to Israel again. And yet, it has become quite clear that it is only the ceasefire, not war, that has allowed Israel to recover said hostages.
Palestinians in the southern outskirts of Gaza City on the third day of a truce between Israel and Hamas.
Ahmed Ibrahim/APA Images via ZUMA
U.S. and Israel, behind the scenes
Behind the scenes, it's the negotiations between the Americans and Israelis that counts most right now — both about whether or not to resume the war and about finding a political solution to the crisis. For Biden, the latter is an imperative, not for Netanyahu.
The Israeli government has pushed back against anything and anyone calling for an end to the war. The Belgian and Spanish prime ministers who called for a ceasefire were sharply reprimanded this weekend by Israel.
Such nervousness speaks volumes about how decisive a moment this is for a war that the rest of the world no longer understands.
- Israel's Jails Are Filling Up With Palestinians — Is This The Bargaining Chip For Gaza Hostages? ›
- Macron: "Intense" French Negotiations For Hostage Release After Video Of French-Israeli Captive ›
- Bibi Blinked: How The Ceasefire Deal Could Flip Israel's Whole Gaza War Logic ›
