It is a cliche that the devil is in the details. It seems that the devil in the details of the Gaza ceasefire deal poses more of a challenge than Hamas and the mediators had anticipated. At the time of writing, no agreement has been concluded, nor have there even been signs that a deal is imminent. In fact, recent statements could complicate the situation further.
Netanyahu announced that Israel “will not, under any circumstances, leave the Philadelphi Corridor and the Netzarim Axis despite the enormous pressure it is under to do so,” adding, according to the Jerusalem Post, that “these are strategic assets, both military and political."
Netanyahu also said that he was “not sure there will be an agreement.” Additionally, US President Joe Biden said that a settlement is “still in play, but you can’t predict,” adding that “Israel says they can work it out ... Hamas is now backing away.”
Of course, Hamas responded: "We followed with great astonishment and disapproval the statements issued by US President Joe Biden... these claims are misleading and (we consider them to be) “a renewed green light for the Israeli extremist government to commit more crimes against defenseless civilians.”
So, is anything about these developments surprising? Certainly not. Some might claim that these statements could be signs that an agreement will emerge soon. That could turn out to be true, but it is clear that Netanyahu sees no benefit in reaching an agreement at this time, before the US presidential elections.
The only real pressure on Netanyahu is coming from the families of the Israeli detainees. All the other pressure is on Hamas and the other factions, and before them, Iran and Hezbollah.
Netanyahu has no interest, for example, in easing the pressure on Iran, which is being “choked” by the rope of “retaliation” for Ismail Haniyeh’s assassination in Tehran. In fact, Iranian retaliation would serve Netanyahu's interests, as Joe Biden cannot condemn Netanyahu in support of Iran, especially not this election cycle.
Thus, President Biden believes that it is easier to criticize Hamas and accuse it of “backing away” than to criticize Israel or Netanyahu. Hamas has no real influential support in this election season, unlike Israel, and Netanyahu is well aware of that.
Accordingly, making concessions or concluding a truce does not serve Netanyahu's interests at this time. He has control of the battlefield, and Gaza has been destroyed. Nothing is left of it but the trenches where Netanyahu’s arch-enemy Yahya Sinwar is hiding. The longer the war and siege continue, the less leverage Hamas has.
On Hezbollah, Netanyahu has no interest in concluding a truce that could extend to Lebanon, where he has been eliminating the party's leaders, one day after the other, at an accelerating pace. Not a day goes by without Israeli assassinations or airstrikes.
Moreover, Netanyahu has no interest in concluding an agreement that would force him to address the question of the day after in Gaza, which will involve making concessions and deals. Netanyahu undoubtedly prefers to strike such a deal after there is a change in the White House, rather than with the outgoing president.
This is the devil in the details of Gaza. Those who want to defeat this devil must come up with a “devilish” plan that puts Netanyahu in a difficult position, not just raise slogans.
