Hamas’s Worst Option, Except for All the Others

https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2025/10/hamas-israel-trump-peace-plan/684422/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=the-atlantic&utm_content=edit-promo

Posted by theatlantic

5 comments

  1. The latest U.S.-Israeli peace proposal crosses several of Hamas’s red lines. But Hamas still might well agree to it, Ibish Hussein writes.

    Almost every provision in President Donald Trump’s plan for ending the war in Gaza involving Israel, other than mutual prisoner releases, “is left to that country’s judgment and discretion,” Hussein writes.

    “As the text reads, no Palestinian living under occupation will feel reassured that citizenship of any state will be available to them in the foreseeable future,” Hussein continues. It holds no real promise of Palestinian statehood, and contains no suggestion of granting the more than 2 million stateless Palestinians who live in the West Bank Israeli citizenship.

    In addition, Hussein writes, “the agreement carries a strong whiff of colonialism that is anathema to many Palestinians. It would place Gaza under the control of a committee headed by Trump and give executive power to former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.”

    Yet “the U.S.-Israeli proposal, for all its poison pills, could offer ordinary Palestinians some immediate relief from war and famine—and Hamas the chance to fight another day, but as a political player in the West Bank,” Hussein writes. “Under its terms, ordinary Palestinians would be protected from displacement—and, on paper at least, the plan offers Gaza a bright future of large-scale investment and reconstruction.”

    “Netanyahu is probably relying on the group to torpedo the entire thing, which would unleash him to, as Trump puts it, ‘finish the job’ in Gaza, whatever that means. And Hamas may well come back with a simple no,” Hussein continues.

    “Hamas could put the Israelis in a more difficult position if it says either yes or, more probable, ‘yes, but,’” Hussein continues.

    Read more: [https://theatln.tc/n28BDojj](https://theatln.tc/n28BDojj)

    — Kim Jao, assistant editor, audience and engagement, *The Atlantic*

  2. Hussein Ibish is an opinion I always listen to, very knowledgeable man

  3. When Russia, China,Pakistan, India, Qatar, Turkey,UAE, Greece, Indonesia, the PLO and Israel back Trump’s Plan for Gaza.

    Why are their still folks that think ending the war and its terms is a bad idea for Palestinians? Like all of these countries royally hate each other and they all are coming to the same conclusion on this but apparently Hamas knows better. The Free Papua Movement or the Kurdistan Workers Party would kill for a deal like this any day.

    They just do not have the PR topspin to wage it.

  5. My issue is and remains its rewarding of hostage taking. 2000 long term hard core terroists and murderers released for 20 broken health people. This only incentivises future hostage taking. Its the same reason I opposed griers ransom for the lord of war, why I opposed Britain paying ransom for the mother Iran had locked up in a hard jail. Not because I didn’t sympathise: I do! but because their cells have now been filled with different Americans and Brits, who are now also held for ransom.

    The next Paleie attack will also take hostages. They will be held for even more of the murderers and terrorists in Israeli prisons. Israel has just got to STOP doing these exchanges. Its moronic and self harming. This applies to all the west as well. The USA as much as anyone. We have got to stop paying ransoms.

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