"Hamas begged for a ceasefire," Israeli intelligence and the political echelon claimed in the days preceding the lull. This assertion was probably based on messages Sinwar conveyed to Cairo – sent by senior Hamas figures in Qatar, sent from those officials to Qatar and presented to the Israelis last week in Doha. The assessment in Israel was, therefore, that Hamas "owed" many days of ceasefire, because its situation is so difficult. This was one of the reasons given by the War Cabinet and the military for agreeing to the deal.
However, the two days over the weekend, when the truce went into effect, lead to the conclusion that Israel is once again misreading and understanding Hamas. If "pleas" had guided the terrorist organization, it would not have played games with us tonight (Saturday night), but on the contrary – added some "perks" to the deal, provided that Israel does not renew its fire.
Beaten, but not defeated so far. Givati fighters take over the headquarters of Hamas' northern brigade | IDF Spokesperson
Had Hamas been desperate, as the competent sources claimed, it would not have been able on Friday to implement the first phase of the agreement with such precision. The fact that it did, namely that on Friday at four o'clock in the afternoon it transferred the hostages exactly as planned, and that yesterday it had already raised difficulties and demands, shows that the organization may have taken a hit, but it is certainly alive and kicking. His command and control system works. At his will, he has access to the abductees. At will, he lets go. He willingly delays, when the goal is known in advance: to bring us to Corrales for the cessation of hostilities, exactly as he planned and as expected.
You have to sober up. Netanyahu and Galant, Photo: Haim Tzach - GPO
When Sinwar is truly "desperate," he will find a way out of hiding, surrounded by our men and waving a white sheet
The dilemma of all decision makers in the face of these exercises is very difficult. There is nothing to envy them. Still, there is one thing for sure that everyone in the discussion rooms must practice – from the prime minister and members of the War Cabinet, to the last IDF commander and intelligence personnel – and that is to quickly disillusion themselves.
One: Hamas is not "begging" for anything. He plays with us as he wishes and according to his own considerations. Two: We Jews cannot understand and decipher this organization (and perhaps other organizations as well). The codes, the culture, the mentality, the priorities, the aspirations – everything is so different from the Western-Israeli head, which makes our senior analysts erroneous.
Therefore, instead of babbling that Hamas is "begging," or "deterred," or any other detached insight, what should be done is to strike Hamas again with all our might. This is the only possible language. When Sinwar is truly "desperate," he will find a way out of hiding, surrounded by our men and waving a white sheet.
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