Gaza Cease-fire Raises Concerns of Hamas Rearmament “`

JERUSALEM—On Sunday, following a cease-fire agreement, armed Hamas militants were openly visible in Gaza.

The Israeli news agency TPS-IL reported that armed men, believed to be terrorists, celebrated in Deir al-Balah, chanting slogans such as, “By God’s permission, we will kill the last Zionist soldier in our holy country,” accompanied by car horns and music.

Military experts expressed concern that the agreement could allow Hamas to reorganize its forces in Gaza and re-establish its presence in the northern Gaza Strip bordering Israel.

“Despite significant military successes against Iranian-backed proxies, Israel has been compelled to accept a deeply unfavorable deal that leaves Hamas in control. Hamas leadership has repeatedly affirmed its commitment to continued jihad against Israel until its complete elimination,” stated Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, former IDF spokesperson, to Digital.

He added, “Hamas is holding Israel at gunpoint, forcing the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, withdrawal from Gaza, and a temporary ceasefire in exchange for the repatriation of 33 Israeli hostages.”

Following the agreement’s announcement, senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya reportedly boasted about plans for a second October 7-style massacre of Israelis, according to a MEMRI translation of his remarks.

He allegedly lauded the October 7, 2023, attack that killed over 1,200 Israelis, including more than 40 Americans, and declared intentions to perpetrate further mass killings. “October 7 Will Remain A Source Of Pride To Our People And Our Resistance, And Will Be Passed Down From Generation To Generation,” al-Hayya declared.

He asserted Hamas’s goal to expel Israel from Palestine and Jerusalem, adding, “We will never forget and never forgive,” and vowing retribution for Israeli actions, “even if it takes time.”

Conricus, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, explained that “Due to immense international pressure over the past 15 months, which prevented Israel from wielding sufficient leverage against Hamas in Gaza, this coercive deal is unfortunately the most viable option for securing the release of the Israeli hostages.”

Retired IDF Brig. Gen. (Res) told Digital that the government is prioritizing the hostages’ return, deeming it urgent given their dire situation. He added, “The government plans to resume hostilities after securing the hostages unless another ceasefire is necessary. However, there is no intention to forgo the destruction of Hamas and the creation of a new reality in Gaza.”

Caroline Glick, a conservative Israeli commentator, noted, “The current situation forces us into a position where we are prevented from achieving victory, which is the very consequence of this cease-fire agreement.”

The hostage-for-ceasefire deal comes at a time when Israel had significantly weakened Hamas’s military capabilities, leaving it in a precarious state. Hezbollah, a key Hamas ally, has also been engaged in conflict with Israel, removing a significant Iranian-backed front against the Jewish state.

Since Israel’s response to Iran’s October aerial attack, the Iranian regime has refrained from launching further attacks.

The agreement includes substantial concessions from Israel. Israel will release up to 2,000 Palestinian terrorists, including over a hundred serving life sentences.

This is based on the expectation, from past prisoner exchanges, that released Palestinian terrorists will return to fight against Israel.

TPS-IL reported on Monday that an estimated 20,000 Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and other terrorist group members have been killed in the war. On Sunday, it was reported that Izz al-Din Haddad, commander of Hamas’s Northern Brigade, who oversaw the transfer of three Israeli hostages to the Red Cross, has been appointed to lead Hamas’s reconstruction efforts.

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