Images of Palestinians returning to their homes in northern Gaza mark apparent end of war between Israel, Hamas
Date
1/29/2025 7:07:46 AM
(MENAFN) Recent images of Palestinians returning to their homes in northern Gaza mark the apparent end of the war between Israel and Hamas, exposing the limitations of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's vision of a decisive victory. For much of the conflict, Netanyahu resisted discussing future arrangements for Gaza and pushed a narrative of Hamas's total defeat. However, it now appears that Netanyahu had to make significant concessions and abandon his previous stance. This week, Netanyahu faced obstacles in the first phase of the exchange deal, with Hamas attempting to block the return of abducted Israeli civilians. Despite these efforts, Netanyahu stood firm, and by Sunday night, he approved the movement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to northern Gaza after Hamas reneged on its promise to release abducted Jews. Under pressure, Hamas backed down, and plans for the return of hostages continued as expected.
However, this concession by Hamas serves a strategic purpose—facilitating the return of Palestinians to the northern Gaza Strip. The challenge for Israel now lies in its ability to resume the war or force another evacuation. With many areas in northern Gaza devastated, it would be difficult for Israel to resume operations in the region without facing further complications. Despite oversight by U.S. contractors to prevent weapon smuggling via vehicles, there is little control over foot traffic, allowing Hamas to potentially smuggle weapons undetected. This situation poses challenges for Israel’s efforts to maintain control over the region.
In terms of the larger picture, there is no clear victory for either side. Hamas’s persistence in holding onto ground has allowed it to avoid being expelled, but the Palestinian population has suffered tremendous losses. Over 46,000 Palestinian lives have been claimed, with the Israeli military estimating the toll may be even higher due to uncounted casualties under rubble. The damage to Gaza’s infrastructure, particularly in the north and southern areas, will take years to rebuild. This is likely why U.S. President Donald Trump has recently discussed evacuating Gaza’s population during reconstruction, a proposal met with resistance from Arab leaders funding the effort.
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