Israel is moving to wrest control from Hamas of its key remaining stronghold in Gaza. This is despite increased pressure from Washington and other imperialist ruling classes, reactionary regimes across the Middle East and middle-class radicals around the world who are demanding Israel agree to end the war, which would let Hamas survive.
Decisively defeating the Nazi-like group is a necessity to prevent it from carrying out its goal of more anti-Jewish pogroms, ultimately leading to a new Holocaust. Israel’s dismantling of Hamas and incorporating Gaza in some form would also remove the biggest obstacle in the way of Palestinian working people being able to organize to defend their own interests and national aspirations.
Condemnation of Israel by capitalist rulers is intensifying as its defensive war registers gains. With U.S. backing, the U.N. Security Council on Sept. 11 unanimously endorsed a statement condemning the Sept. 9 Israeli airstrike on a meeting of the Hamas leadership in Qatar, calling it a violation of the country’s “sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
But the Hamas leadership utilizes the base provided by the Qatari government to try to wipe out Israel. It was from there that it green-lighted the Oct. 7, 2023, pogrom that killed 1,200 people in Israel. Hamas thugs raped and mutilated women, wounded thousands and took 251 hostages. Under the orders of Hamas leaders, the 20 living hostages are still being held captive in Gaza in inhumane conditions, tortured and starved.
Making its opposition to the Israeli strike in Qatar clear, President Donald Trump hosted a dinner in Washington, D.C., for visiting Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman al-Thani Sept. 12. Trump praised al-Thani for his role in negotiations with Hamas and later warned Israel to be “very, very careful. They have to do something about Hamas, but Qatar has been a great ally to the United States.”
The day after the dinner al-Thani met with Adm. Brad Cooper, head of the U.S. Central Command.
The Trump administration wants to keep Israel from upsetting stability and the relations Washington seeks with capitalist governments in the Middle East as it pushes to deepen its domination of the region. Its goal is to advance the U.S. rulers’ plunder of the natural resources and exploitation of labor there. The administration sees deepening its relations with Qatar — where a vast U.S. Air Force base is located — as a key part of confronting Beijing, its main rival in today’s world.
While Israel’s capitalist rulers view their alliance with U.S. imperialism as necessary, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu operates on the understanding that Israel must be ready to act on its own, or face annihilation.
Netanyahu warned Qatar to expel the remaining Hamas leaders or “bring them to justice. Because if you don’t, we will.”
U.N. seeks to keep Hamas in power
On Sept. 12 the U.N. General Assembly adopted a declaration for a “two-state solution” between Israel and Palestine. The governments of Australia, Canada, France, Germany and the United Kingdom voted for it, hoping to advance their interests against Washington, which voted against.
The resolution is part of the international propaganda campaign against Israel aimed at blocking the establishment of Israeli rule in Gaza that’s needed to defeat Hamas and prevent it from returning.
The resolution would allow Hamas to reestablish its dictatorial rule and has nothing to do with advancing the national rights of the Palestinian people.
Among the demands in the addendum are ones on Israel to allow the United Nations Relief and Works Agency to once again play the key role in distributing aid and administering Gaza. But UNRWA is riddled with Hamas agents. Its employees were part of the Hamas death squads that massacred Jews along with dozens of Arab citizens of Israel and immigrants on Oct. 7.
The reactionary regime in Tehran boycotted the General Assembly vote because it opposes a two-state solution. Its goal is the total destruction of Israel and the elimination of the Jews who live there.
Hamas’ last stronghold under attack
Meanwhile, Israeli troops are steadily advancing in Gaza City. The Israel Defense Forces started by ordering civilians to leave the high rises that Hamas uses for shelter before destroying them.
With Israeli troops on tanks beginning to enter the city and airstrikes hitting more Hamas positions, Gazans continued streaming out of the city Sept. 16. Despite Hamas’ attempts to force people to remain as human shields, the Israeli advances are convincing most of the remaining civilians to head to designated safe zones along the coast. This is key to minimizing civilian casualties and allowing Israel to go after Hamas in its vast tunnel network as well as above ground.
Profiteers are ensuring the burden of leaving Gaza falls heaviest on working people. Truck fees to move belongings from Gaza City to the south have doubled and tripled since the start of the Israeli offensive. Scarce apartments in the south are now listing at 8,000 shekels ($2,400) a month, out of the reach of most working people, and even a plot to pitch a tent is reaching 1,000 shekels.
Despite the success of the military offensive in weakening Hamas, the high command of the IDF — echoing the stance of the U.S. government — has continued to push the Netanyahu government to end it.
A heated discussion took place recently at the office of Netanyahu with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, Shin Bet and Mossad officials and members of the government’s Security Cabinet, Ynet news reports.
Zamir has been pushing for the Israeli government to accept the framework put forward by Steven Witkoff, Trump’s special negotiator for the Middle East. Under that plan, a 60-day ceasefire would lead to Israeli withdrawal from large sections of Gaza in exchange for the release of the hostages and continued negotiations. Zamir also opposes direct Israeli rule in Gaza.