Overnight Monday, the Israel Defense Forces launched a large-scale military operation in the Gaza Strip—a precise and determined strike that hit Hamas’s leadership at the exact moment the organization believed it was beginning to recover and rebuild from the previous phase of fighting. The shock within Hamas is evident, as the successful elimination of senior figures in both its military and political wings in Gaza sends a clear and sharp message: Israel will not allow the organization to continue rebuilding its power and conducting negotiations from a position of superiority.
As a well-known Arabic proverb says: “If your enemy is in a hurry, slow him down. If he is slow, confuse him.”
Hamas has applied precisely this strategy—endless, prolonged negotiations aimed at exhausting Israel and improving its own position. The terrorist organization understands that the hostages are its ultimate bargaining chip, which is why it believes that time is on its side.
Hamas Is Stalling
In recent weeks, it has become clear to all that Hamas is not genuinely interested in reaching a final agreement for the return of all hostages. Instead, it has been using the negotiations as a tactic to strengthen its military and political stance. Hamas has added new demands that were never included in the original document presented by U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, insisting on a prolonged ceasefire without making significant concessions, and pinned its hopes on internal pressure within Israel to force it into accepting Hamas’s terms completely.
At the same time, Hamas has continued recruiting fighters, restoring its tunnel network, planting explosives and receiving indirect backing from the Arab League and Egypt—bodies that have not explicitly demanded that Hamas disarm or cease to exist as a political entity.
Breaking the Paradigm: Renewing Military Pressure
Israel has decided to break the paradigm by resuming military action. While this step does carry risks for the hostages, the alternative—giving Hamas more time to prepare and solidify its control—is far worse. Further delays could result in hostages dying in tunnels while the IDF is forced to fight a more fortified and emboldened enemy. Renewing the fighting is meant to exert real pressure, making Hamas leadership understand that it cannot continue to stall and dictate the rules of the game.
As Napoleon Bonaparte once said: “A sudden and painful strike is better than a hundred useless conversations.”
Israel has chosen exactly this strategy—not to be dragged into endless talks that only benefit Hamas, but rather to apply calculated and powerful force to create a real change on the ground.
The Analysts Were Wrong: Trump and The Green Light to Israel
Even before the renewal of fighting, many analysts in Israel predicted that the Trump administration would not allow Israel to use significant force in Gaza. They claimed that the president was only interested in “ending wars” and would not support a large-scale military operation. These assumptions turned out to be entirely false—anyone familiar with Trump’s character, a tough New York real estate mogul, knew that in a critical moment he would not hesitate to back a forceful response.
Trump, dating back to the 1980s and 1990s, forcibly evicted tenants in Atlantic City and New York, sometimes using mafia-style tactics to advance his real estate projects. This is not to justify or praise his methods—but that’s who he is. When he sees an interest at stake, he acts decisively. Right now, the American interest is to demonstrate control and support Israel against Hamas, Iran and Hezbollah.
A Message to Iran and Hezbollah
Israel’s move carries a clear message beyond the Gaza Strip. The fact that the Americans have given a bright “green light” to this operation signals to Hamas and its backers that they should not expect leniency from the United States. Hezbollah, which has refrained from escalating the northern front, understands that Israel has strong backing and that actions by the Houthis or others will not alter the strategic picture. Hamas now finds itself more isolated than ever, as its allies in the Middle East begin to realize that continuing this struggle is a lost cause.
The Necessary Diplomatic Effort
Alongside military pressure, Israel must also act on the diplomatic front to further isolate Hamas. First and foremost, it should push for heavy American pressure on the Arab League and Egypt to make it clear to Hamas that holding its ground will lead to a complete cutoff of support and total isolation. The hasty invitation of a Hamas delegation to Cairo on Tuesday after the attack indicates that Israel’s message has been received loud and clear.
National Solidarity
The decision to renew fighting was made unanimously by both Israel’s political and security leadership, underscoring its strategic importance. Now, the Israeli public must demonstrate unity and solidarity, avoiding divisive political discourse that could weaken the impact of the operation and strengthen Hamas’s claims in the international arena.
Israel is not falling into Hamas’s time trap and is not allowing it to dictate the rules of the game—it is breaking the paradigm, acting on its own timeline and redefining the terms of engagement. There is reason to believe that this move will bring Hamas to the negotiating table with a newfound understanding that the rules have changed.
Oded Ailam is a former head of the Counterterrorism Division in the Mossad and is currently a researcher at the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs (JCFA).
