Israel says temporary pause won’t undermine its objectives.
The temporary pause in fighting that Israel accepted has already intensified misguided calls for the Jewish state to “de-escalate” its response to Hamas’ barbaric Oct. 7 terror rampage.
On Wednesday, Israel’s Cabinet debated a deal with Hamas — negotiated through third parties, including the United States — that would impose a four-day cease-fire under which Hamas would release 50 of the more than 200 hostages it took during the Oct. 7 massacre. Israel would also free 150 Palestinian prisoners it holds.
“Once a pause in fighting takes effect,” The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday, “the pressure on Israel to pursue talks toward further (hostage) releases and potentially make its pause permanent could rise, analysts said.”
Which raises the questions: Why are outside forces fixated on the Israeli response rather than the brutal terror act that precipitated it? Why is international pressure directed at Israel, which seeks simply to secure its existence, rather than at Hamas, which purposely provoked the Israeli military action in an effort to further its goal of wiping the state off the map?
Certainly, Israel has tough choices to make regarding the innocent hostages held by Hamas.
