LinkedIn on Thursday, October 9, 2025
For the record, I want the Gaza war to be over as soon as possible. After the October 7 attack, Israel had every right to go to war against Hamas, but not the people of Gaza, the vast majority of which are innocents. Israel has killed over 67,000 Palestinians in its effort to eliminate a relative handful of terrorists. And we’re the ones who have provided most of the weapons and bombs used to accomplish this slaughter – leveling the place and trashing the Gazan economy in the process.
Trump – who claims he is sincerely interested in ending the killing while dreaming of a potential Nobel Peace Prize – has offered a 20 point plan. The plan starts with a final exchange of hostages, living and deceased, for Israeli-held Palestinian prisoners who are very much alive. Israel will stop the bombing and withdraw its forces to some mutually acceptable distance. Unfortunately, agreeing to this first phase does not mean mutual acceptance of other elements of the peace plan including, for example, that Hamas disarms and somehow evaporates into the desert night, no longer a threat to Israel.
Before etching Trump’s name on the Nobel trophy, consider the following…
1. This first phase of the plan includes a cease fire which will work to Hamas’ advantage.
2. Hamas will not be in control of the new government that Trump envisions will guide the rubble and non-existent economy toward a brighter future. But the fact is there’s pretty much nothing left of Gaza to govern – certainly not for a while and without massive infusions of Western and Middle Eastern capital.
The new government may not include anyone wearing Hamas t-shirts, but how do the people of Gaza feel about Israel now? About the United States and Jewish people here in our country?
3. Hamas has already used up the leverage it had from taking hostages in the first place. This is a good time to let them go – and get hundreds of their own soldiers and friendlies back.
4. Many of the hundreds of Palestinian prisoners Israel releases will likely go back to active status with Hamas, whatever that means, replacing the bodies they’ve lost at the hands of Israel’s military.
So, how exactly is the Trump peace plan not a good deal for Hamas, so far? Why wouldn’t Hamas agree to Trump’s 20 point plan?
-Les
