The last of the living hostages, all 20 of them, returned home to Israel on Monday after 737 days in Hamas captivity. The terrorists now have their clutches only on Israel’s dead, 24 of whom they failed to turn over as the deal requires. The moment was one of great euphoria, but it should be tinged with the knowledge that pressure on Hamas can’t let up.
President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (Agency.)
“You’ve won,” President Trump told Israel’s parliament in Jerusalem. He praised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as “one of the greatest wartime presidents” and spoke of the opportunity to “translate these victories against terrorists on the battlefield into the ultimate prize of peace and prosperity for the entire Middle East.”
Mr. Trump veered off-script and into Israel’s domestic politics by suggesting a legal pardon for Mr. Netanyahu, but his focus was on their joint achievements in Gaza, Iran and beyond. “The forces that . . . plagued the region for decades now stand weakened, isolated and totally defeated,” the President said. “I love Israel,” he concluded. “I’m with you all the way.”
The sentiment was amply reciprocated across the Israeli political spectrum. “When others were weak, you were strong,” Mr. Netanyahu told Mr. Trump. “When others abandoned us, you stood by our side.” Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid said, “Mr. President, you have saved the lives of our hostages.”
The Trump strategy was to ignore the media pressure and back Mr. Netanyahu as Israel smashed regional U.S. adversaries. This was the opposite of Joe Biden’s strategy that put pressure on Israel to stop fighting too soon. Israel’s soldiers first had to win the war to secure these favorable terms for the hostages’ release—up front and with Israel remaining in half of Gaza to enforce the rest of the deal.
Hamas also had to see that its political exit routes, via Iranian escalation, support from mediators such as Qatar, and pressure from left-wing Western protests, had been closed.
From Israel Mr. Trump traveled to Egypt for a summit on Gaza’s future. The question for the assembled leaders, especially the Arab potentates most involved, is whether they will win the peace by fulfilling Mr. Trump’s 20-point deal.
This is far from guaranteed. Mr. Trump’s line, “This is a historic dawn of a new Middle East,” echoes past hopes that have been crushed. Hamas gave in Monday not to make peace, but because its alternatives were worse. It seeks to exploit the cease-fire to restore its power and return to war. Several Hamas leaders have already said the group won’t disarm, and the terrorists may be reinvigorated by Israel’s release of nearly 2,000 prisoners, a hefty ransom.
The first test is the dead hostages, all of whose bodies Hamas was supposed to return Monday. It handed over only four. If world leaders attempt to push past this basic initial term, Hamas will know the rest are optional as well. It would also retain some leverage. Given the corpses’ value to the terrorists as bargaining chips, the claim that they need more time to find and retrieve them is hard to credit.
Hamas may be stalling as it launches a mini-civil war against potential Palestinian rivals. Since Israeli troops have ceased fire, the terrorists have conducted public executions and killed at least a few dozen members of the local Doghmush clan. Several Hamas fighters have also been killed in Palestinian reprisals.
All of this points to the need for Gaza’s demilitarization and deradicalization. Palestinians should “concentrate on building their people up instead of trying to tear Israel down,” Mr. Trump said Monday. That means ditching permanent refugee status and other features of the old Gaza that was built by the United Nations to keep alive the dream of destroying Israel.
We will soon learn if the Arab states are serious about Mr. Trump’s plan. Will they disarm Hamas? Blow up its tunnels? Risk their soldiers’ lives to keep Hamas down? If not, count on them to protest when Israel does it for them. Israel in turn will count on Mr. Trump for the “full backing” he has promised.
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