Haviv Rettig Gur
Pressure on Israel has consistently pushed Hamas away from a deal, Anthony Blinken acknowledges just a little too late for it to help Gazans or the hostages. Pressure on Israel has sustained Hamas's willingness to fight to the bitter end, Biden officials now realize. Pressure on Israel has kept the war going and Gaza suffering, Biden officials now believe. Telling Hamas to hold on because the world is coming to their rescue has done nothing for Palestinians except trap them for yet another round in Hamas's self-destructive strategy. This is a stark strategic reality. It remains true whether you like Israel or hate it. It's true independent of your moral assessment of the two sides. So it's a damn shame Palestinians will have to wait years for their purported supporters in the West to notice the terrible damage they have caused them.
John Spencer
"Why there hasn't been a unanimous chorus around the world for Hamas to put down its weapons, to give up the hostages, to surrender - I don't know what the answer is to that." Anthony Blinken 🤔 War is a contest of wills. The world sent Hamas many signals to continue to fight.