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Israel cannot win the war against Hamas without maintaining a presence in the Gaza Strip, according to Or Yissachar, head of research and content for Habitchonistim.
Speaking to ILTV on its weekly Insider program just before Israel signed a hostage deal in Doha, which could eventually lead to a full withdrawal of soldiers, Yissachar emphasized that without such a presence, it is “impossible to be able to protect ourselves.”
He added that it sends a troubling message to the world: that thousands of people can be massacred, yet those responsible can still hold onto their land and maintain the status quo.
On October 7, 2023, more than 6,000 Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists, along with Gazan civilians, infiltrated Israel and slaughtered 1,200 people. They kidnapped 251 individuals, 98 of whom remain in the Gaza Strip. Hostage-for-ceasefire negotiations have been ongoing since the first group of civilians was released in November 2023. Overnight on Thursday, the Prime Minister’s Office announced that a deal had been signed.
“The end game of this war must be that Hamas is eliminated and that the threat from the Gaza Strip is removed,” Yissachar said. “That cannot only be achieved without a permanent military presence of Israel in the Gaza Strip, until such time the Palestinians concede their arms struggle against Israel.”
Phase I of the hostage-for-ceasefire plan signed in Doha includes the IDF beginning to withdraw from the Gaza Strip. However, according to the plan, by Phase III, when all hostages are supposed to be released, there will be a complete IDF withdrawal.
Moreover, some have argued that the phased plan, which allows only some hostages to be released, could result in others never leaving the coastal enclave.
The plan was devised by the Biden administration but supported by the incoming Trump administration, which sent Steve Witkoff, the incoming special envoy to the Middle East, to assist in the negotiations.
Yigal Marcus, a board member for Republicans Overseas Israel, said Witkoff was involved because Brett McGurk, who has been leading the negotiations for Biden, “didn’t get the job done.” He argued that the success of the first phase should not be viewed in isolation but as part of Trump’s influence in the region.
“Thanks to President Trump’s threat, a deal was cut,” Marcus said. “I think that Steve Witkoff represents the future, which is a future based on strength, a future based on taking America seriously, anywhere in the world.”
Marcus also challenged Yissachar’s perspective, suggesting that while a first deal has been signed, the situation could change significantly after Trump’s inauguration on January 20.
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Israelis rally against a deal that brings only some of the 98 hostages in Gaza home
(Photo: Shalu Shalom)
“I think Hamas made a terrible mistake. Trump didn’t say, give me back 33 hostages. Trump said, I want all the hostages. On January 21 next week, on Tuesday, when Trump comes to the office and there are still 64 hostages being held, Hamas is going to have to answer for that,” Marcus said.
He warned, “They’ll have all hell to pay,” referencing Trump’s repeated threats to Hamas about releasing the hostages. “They’re making a huge mistake by not taking Donald Trump seriously.”