As Hamas formally rejected former U.S. President Donald Trump\u2019s ultimatum for a sweeping peace deal, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu\u2019s allies are pointing to the moment as vindication of his leadership throughout the war in Gaza.<\/p>\n
The Trump-brokered proposal, backed by the U.S., Israel, and several Arab states, demanded Hamas release all hostages and accept total surrender without concessions. Hamas responded with what critics call a \u201cyes, but\u201d tactic \u2014 effectively a refusal.<\/p>\n
Yet, some analysts and supporters argue that the very fact Hamas and its backers in Qatar were forced to respond to such terms underscores how much the battlefield and diplomatic dynamics have shifted since October 7.<\/p>\n
Netanyahu, they say, is the reason Israel has reached this point. Facing pressure from Israel\u2019s own military establishment, opposition parties, and foreign governments to scale back operations months ago, the prime minister pressed forward with a strategy aimed at dismantling Hamas\u2019 rule in Gaza.<\/p>\n
Critics in Israel\u2019s center-left political class, along with senior security officials, had long urged caution, fearing regional fallout. They opposed the offensives into Rafah and Gaza City\u2019s remaining strongholds, arguing for limited operations rather than a push for decisive victory.<\/p>\n
But Netanyahu, backed by right-wing ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir who entered his coalition only after centrist leaders refused to join a unity government pressed ahead. That decision, his supporters claim, gave Israel the leverage to reach today\u2019s near-breakthrough moment, where Hamas faces mounting pressure to either surrender or face annihilation.<\/p>\n
\u201cNetanyahu stood against the establishment, against foreign pressure, and against the media\u2019s demoralization campaigns,\u201d one political commentator argued. \u201cIf not for his endurance, Israel would have ended this war months ago without achieving any real security gains.\u201d<\/p>\n
The war has reshaped Israel\u2019s political landscape, exposing deep rifts between the government and elements of the security elite blamed by critics for policies that led to October 7. Netanyahu\u2019s backers argue history will vindicate him, portraying his refusal to bow to pressure as pivotal to Israel\u2019s current position.<\/p>\n
Still, uncertainty hangs over Trump\u2019s deal. Hamas could retreat into Gaza\u2019s tunnels and drag out the conflict further, while foreign governments weigh how to enforce the ultimatum.<\/p>\n
For now, Netanyahu\u2019s supporters see this as a turning point one they believe proves that Israel\u2019s path to victory was forged not by compromise, but by resilience.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
As Hamas formally rejected former U.S. President Donald Trump\u2019s ultimatum for a sweeping peace deal, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu\u2019s allies are pointing to the moment as vindication of his leadership throughout the war in Gaza. The Trump-brokered proposal, backed by the U.S., Israel, and several Arab states, demanded Hamas release all hostages and accept<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14202,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"twitter_1160854738579181570_1160854738579181570":"","facebook_3558452337540614_100649324928663":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[28,43],"tags":[1902,1073,980,981,783,983,1363,1900,1901,1899],"class_list":{"0":"post-14201","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-middle-east","8":"category-opinion","9":"tag-ben-gvir","10":"tag-gaza-war","11":"tag-hamas","12":"tag-israel","13":"tag-israeli-politics","14":"tag-middle-east-conflict","15":"tag-netanyahu","16":"tag-security-establishment","17":"tag-smotrich","18":"tag-trump-peace-deal"},"yoast_head":"\n