Chasing truce: On the U.S. and talks between Israel and Hamas

President Joe Biden’s remark that there is real progress in talks between Israel and Hamas on a ceasefire and hostage deal offers a rare ray of hope in ending the 15-month-long war. Mr. Biden said he was confident that his administration, which has only some more days left in office, could secure a deal. However, experience suggests that there is no deal unless an actual deal is reached, irrespective of the progress in talks. Even now, there are conflicting narratives on the remaining bottlenecks. Mr. Biden says Hamas is an obstacle, while Qatari and Egyptian officials, who were involved in the talks, say Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s refusal to agree to anything more than a temporary ceasefire is the main hurdle. Mr. Netanyahu does not want to bring the war to an end as his far-right government could collapse. But he is ready to accept a temporary halt in fighting in return for hostages. Hamas, fearing that Israel would resume fighting once the hostages are released, demand a permanent ceasefire. While talks drag on, the plight of over two million people in Gaza is nearly forgotten. Israeli strikes have already killed 46,000 Palestinians. Most of Gaza’s population lives in tent cities without enough food, drinking water, medicines and electricity.

When Israel launched the war, after Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack, it had three objectives — destroy Hamas, secure the release of hostages and bolster the Jewish state’s long-term security. Fifteen months later, while Israel has destroyed much of Hamas’s military infrastructure and killed its top leadership, the group has survived and transformed itself as an insurgency. Israel has managed to release very few hostages and its long-term security risks remain. While a ceasefire with Hezbollah brought relative calm to the northern border, the Houthis of Yemen are now firing missiles and drones to Israel. The country is also facing international isolation. The International Court of Justice is hearing a genocide case against Israel, and the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants against Mr. Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. Rights organisations, from Amnesty International to HRW, are accusing Israel of genocide. Mr. Netanyahu seems unperturbed, thanks to the military, political and diplomatic support that Israel still enjoys from the Biden administration. But its inability to meet its objectives even in the tiny Gaza Strip, its disregard for international law and norms and the barbarity with which it is attacking the Palestinians should shock anyone interested in the country’s physical and moral well-being. It is already too late. Israel’s leaders and their backers in the West should not prolong this aimless war. Mr. Netanyahu should leave Gaza in return for the release of all hostages.