Bowen: Tough choices for Netanyahu after Hamas upends expectations

The Hamas ceasefire announcement amazed astir observers and upended Israel's expectations of what mightiness hap successful the adjacent fewer weeks.

Israel's moving presumption was that Hamas would not judge a ceasefire connection that the Americans called "exceptionally generous". At archetypal light, Israel warned Palestinians to fly the eastbound broadside of Rafah, due to the fact that of an imminent subject operation.

The Americans reason immoderate crushed operations successful Rafah that could endanger civilian lives. The Israeli defence minister, Yoav Gallant, explained to his American counterpart that determination was nary alternate - arsenic Hamas had rejected each connection for a impermanent ceasefire and a merchandise of hostages.

Mediators from the US, Egypt and Qatar continued to propulsion for a ceasefire. The caput of the CIA, William Burns, spent overmuch of the time successful meetings with the premier curate of Qatar successful Doha, the superior metropolis that is besides the basal for the governmental enactment of Hamas.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's archetypal nationalist effect was to accidental that Hamas was "far from gathering Israel's demands". Nonetheless, helium has dispatched a delegation to sermon it.

The premier curate is simply a governmental bind. His conjugation authorities depends connected the enactment of Jewish ultranationalists. They've demanded a afloat concern of Rafah and threatened to topple the authorities if that doesn't happen. A ceasefire would mean nary Rafah offensive.

At the aforesaid time, families and supporters of Israeli hostages person been demonstrating, blocking large roads to request that Israel accepts the woody to get them backmost home.

The Americans besides privation a deal. President Joe Biden's enactment for Israel, adjacent arsenic its service killed immense numbers of Palestinian civilians, is costing him governmental enactment successful an predetermination year.

Hamas has enactment Mr Netanyahu nether pressure. If Mr Biden pushes him to judge a ceasefire he'll person to take betwixt his government's endurance and the captious enactment the US president has fixed him since the 7th October attacks.

A ceasefire would besides mean that Israel had not achieved the "total victory" premier curate Netanyahu has sworn to deliver.

More negotiations, and pugnacious choices, travel next.