After failed ceasefire negotiations, Israel restarted its ground invasion of Gaza on May 18. This time, Israel has said it will not stop until Hamas is defeated once and for all. The Israel Defense Forces believes it has killed Mohammed Sinwar, leader of Hamas and successor to his brother Yahya Sinwar. A “senior security official” told Israel Hayom that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has set October as the deadline to finish the war.

One would think this is good news. Since Oct. 7, 2023, Israel has been fighting Hamas, which still holds an estimated 24 living hostages captive. The recent developments suggest the war will end soon, as many hostages as possible will come home, and the genocidal jihadist group will cease to be an immediate threat bordering Israel.

Yet the rest of the world does not consider this good news. Instead, the world’s powers are pressuring Israel to stand down and let Hamas live.

America

Hamas released Edan Alexander, the last living hostage with United States citizenship, on May 12. Freeing a hostage is obviously a good thing, but the circumstances of his release concern Israel’s security. Unlike the previous hostage deals, this was not a result of negotiations between Israel and Hamas. Instead, the U.S. negotiated with Hamas directly, sidelining Israel.

Many interpret the deal as U.S. President Donald Trump jabbing at Prime Minister Netanyahu. “The deal brought mixed feelings in Israel,” the Wall Street Journal reported, “which has long feared that the U.S. would separately negotiate to release its citizens at the expense of other hostages in the enclave.”

The same week of Alexander’s release, President Trump departed for his first visit to the Middle East during his second term. He visited Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates—but noticeably skipped Israel. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wanted to visit Israel, but President Trump told him to stay with his entourage. Mr. Trump even tried to get Alexander to meet him in Qatar; Alexander refused.

On May 20, Vice President JD Vance was supposed to visit Israel. According to “a senior U.S. official” speaking to Axios, he canceled the trip “due to the expansion of Israel’s military operation in Gaza.” According to Axios, “Vance made the decision because he didn’t want his trip to suggest the Trump administration endorsed the Israeli decision to launch a massive operation at a time when the U.S. is pushing for a ceasefire and hostage deal.”

Last week, Hamas confirmed to Sky News it is in direct talks with the United States. Hamas representative Basem Naim claimed Hamas is willing to cede control over Gaza for a permanent cessation of hostilities. This is different from its demands in previous negotiations. But Naim also said Hamas wants a total withdrawal of the Israel Defense Forces and a rebuilding of Gaza without “forceful immigration.” So even if Hamas were to formally give up power, it would still hold enormous sway over the region.

Talking directly with the U.S. about this suggests Hamas thinks President Trump will pressure Israel to back down and accept a ceasefire, as it did in January.

A May 20 Axios article suggests that belief is well founded. According to an anonymous White House official, “The president is frustrated about what is happening in Gaza. He wants the war to end, he wants the hostages to come home, he wants aid to go in, and he wants to start rebuilding Gaza.” According to Axios, he “has told his aides to tell Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu he wants him to wrap [the war] up.”

Israel is wrapping the war up. That is why it restarted its ground invasion. That is why the government gave itself a deadline of a few months. Yet that is not enough for Mr. Trump. He apparently wants the war to conclude as soon as possible no matter the cost. Even if that cost means letting Hamas survive.

Not Just America

In response to Israel restarting the Gaza invasion, the governments of France, the United Kingdom and Canada released a joint statement condemning the developments on May 19:

We strongly oppose the expansion of Israel’s military operations in Gaza. The level of human suffering in Gaza is intolerable. Yesterday’s announcement that Israel will allow a basic quantity of food into Gaza is wholly inadequate. We call on the Israeli government to stop its military operations in Gaza and immediately allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza. This must include engaging with the [United Nations] to ensure a return to delivery of aid in line with humanitarian principles. We call on Hamas to release immediately the remaining hostages they have so cruelly held since 7 October 2023.

The Israeli government’s denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable and risks breaching international humanitarian law. We condemn the abhorrent language used recently by members of the Israeli government, threatening that, in their despair at the destruction of Gaza, civilians will start to relocate. Permanent forced displacement is a breach of international humanitarian law.

Israel suffered a heinous attack on October 7. We have always supported Israel’s right to defend Israelis against terrorism. But this escalation is wholly disproportionate.

We will not stand by while the Netanyahu government pursues these egregious actions. If Israel does not cease the renewed military offensive and lift its restrictions on humanitarian aid, we will take further concrete actions in response.

We oppose any attempt to expand settlements in the West Bank. Israel must halt settlements which are illegal and undermine the viability of a Palestinian state and the security of both Israelis and Palestinians. We will not hesitate to take further action, including targeted sanctions.

France reaffirmed its threat to recognize a Palestinian state next month without consulting Israel. The UK suspended trade talks and put sanctions on Israeli settlers in the West Bank. British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said this was because Israel’s actions in the West Bank were harming prospects for a “two-state solution.”

In other words, France, the UK and Canada have the same rationale as the U.S.: They want to see Israel recognize Gaza as an independent territory—even if it means Hamas still rules.

Hamas has made it clear its ultimate goal is annihilating the Jewish state and replacing it with a totalitarian Islamist regime. Hamas also has a presence in the West Bank and is fighting Israel there as well. Hamas cannot be characterized as a “moderate” faction willing to pragmatically sign up for peace.

Nobody is asking for South Korea to normalize relations with its totalitarian neighbor to the north. France and the UK are among Ukraine’s most ardent supporters to fight off Russia whatever the cost. Yet the world seems perfectly happy and even eager to twist Israel’s arm to accept an existential threat to its existence on its borders.

Endgame

The one person in Israel standing up to this international pressure is Prime Minister Netanyahu. He is also facing heavy domestic pressure to compromise with Hamas. Some countries may claim the problem is Israel’s general policy toward the Palestinians. But more and more, it appears the world has problems with Mr. Netanyahu specifically, not just Israel in general.

Israel’s prime minister has done what any world leader facing a similar crisis would be expected to do. Yet the global climate seems to be supercharged to force him out of office, or at least get him to backtrack on his principles, almost irrationally.

What would happen if the world got its way and pressured the creation of a Palestinian state?

We wrote in our August 2024 Trumpet issue:

Nominally, the Palestinian Authority, headed by Mahmoud Abbas, would take over as the new state’s government. But Abbas is a corrupt autocrat who runs half his realm as his personal fiefdom and has lost control of the other half to terrorist groups. Most Palestinians want him gone. Hamas, by contrast, is gaining popularity on the street. And any “ceasefire” deal would legitimize Hamas internationally.

Gaza is a deadly thorn in Israel’s side. But a Hamas-ruled West Bank would be a catastrophic nightmare; the next war in the Middle East would be far bigger, longer and bloodier. If this ceasefire is adopted, Hamas would be capable of a Holocaust on the same scale as the Nazis. Everybody knows this.

There are deeper reasons why the world is pressuring Israel to adopt this course. It isn’t about establishing borders or safeguarding the balance of power. It is about Israel’s fundamental heritage and identity.

To learn more, read “Who Is Behind the War on Netanyahu.” It was written during a different political climate, but the overall big picture it presents is still very relevant to what is going on in Israel today.