Will Iran reconsider targeting Israel after the collapse of the ceasefire deal
Background
To enable the facilitation of Gaza ceasefire talk, Iran said that it would consider withdrawing from targeting Israel only if ceasefire negotiation is achieved in Doha, but that condition just begun to collapse immediately Hamas said they won’t be part of the ceasefire negotiation in Doha last week. Despite Hamas’ reluctance to be represented, Egypt and Qatar promised the United States that the terrorist organization would be represented in the talk.
Hamas had said that they won’t be part of the negotiation, citing the inclusion of new conditions by the Prime Minister of Israel. The terrorist organization said the negotiators should stop further talks, but instead, embrace the previous talks held, which they deem favourable to them. The position of the terrorist organization seems to be their final point, without any willingness to make concessions.
Hamas Position
The terrorist organization wants a permanent end to the war or withdrawal of IDF from the Strip, which would give them a lifeline to continue their grip on the governing capabilities they held before the war. They also sought to get reconstruction and return of all the people to evacuated areas, including armed terrorist in civilian disguise. The conditions will ultimately go back to the pre-war situation.
Israel’s Reply
But on the contrary, Israel has refused to abide by the terms stated by the terrorist organization, insisting that they will not leave the Strip and they won’t allow the return of civilians to the northern part of the Strip which was evacuated in the first days of the war. Israel has said that Hamas will not be able to rule Gaza Strip anymore, and they won’t allow the resettlement of terrorist in areas they have been forced out.
Israel Under Pressure
Back in Israel, the country is facing the wrath of citizens who are protesting and calling for the return of hostages, insisting that the deal for the return of hostages should be accepted without scrutinizing the security implication of the deal. The protetsers are mounting significant pressure on the government, but their pressure has not yielded the expected result.
With the Knesset, there are left leaning ministers working assiduously for a deal to be accepted, while the far right ministers are insisting on a fair deal for Israel. It has become a gamble, where a choice must be made, either to bring the hostages home at the expense of Hamas’ resurgence or insist on Hamas destruction at the expense of the hostages
However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is fighting to make a deal that would bring about balance to ensure the return of the hostages and the destruction of Hamas. The negotiators from the side of Israel have carried the ideology of the prime minister to the negotiation table but have not achieved the expected result to date. Further negotiation is ongoing, but there seems to be no hope of imminent agreement or ceasefire relief for suffering Gazans.
US Diplomacy
Since Iran vowed to attack Israel, the United States of America has been fighting and using every diplomatic tool at its disposal to wage the intended attack. The US, having been aware of the Iranian threat, was willing to make sure a deal was reached. As soon as the ceasefire deal collapsed, the US made a bridging deal, but the bridging deal also collapsed alongside the initial deal.
The US bridging deal that also collapsed means that the ceasefire deal has ultimately collapsed, and Iran’s attack is automatically renewed. Going by the vow of the Islamic State, Israel will be attacked in no distant time unless there is a change of mind from Tehran.
Israel’s Position
Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu has promised to counter-attack and exact a punishment to anyone and in any place Israel is attacked from. The policy of response means that should Iran attack, Israel will counter the attack and which could ultimately lead to a new war in the Middle East. Tension is boiling in the region, and the West is making every move needed to contain it.
Israel’s allies have moved military hardwares to the Middle East and are waiting for Iranian response. But Tehran is still quiet and beating every expectation or time as reported.
The wait goes on, and it appears the diplomatic moves made so far are yielding results, but Tehran has not voiced out its latest position on Israel’s assassination of Hamas political chief.
There is no guarantee yet, Iran can attack Israel at any given time. Israel is not taking the situation for granted, and as long as Tehran has not withdrawn its vow of attacking Israel, the risk of attack remains high.
