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The prospects for peace in Gaza become darker all the time
American Thinker ^ | 16 Aug, 2026 | Susan Quinn

Posted on 08/16/2026 7:02:01 AM PDT by MtnClimber

Despite President Trump’s lauding the 15-point agreement that was supposed to bring peace to Gaza, ending the conflict looks more distant every day. The world likes to blame Israel for the delays in the process because Israel makes a popular punching bag, but it’s important to remember key points that support the Hamas and Israel positions.

Let’s remember how this disaster began: Hamas perpetrated the October 7, 2023, attack. Although Hamas likes to blame its actions on Israel’s occupation of Gaza, Israel turned Gaza over to the Palestinians nearly 20 years ago.

There is no occupation.

The next point to make about Hamas is that Israel, the United States, and the European Union have designated Hamas a terrorist organization bent on the destruction of Israel. Can it “change its stripes” and suddenly become not only peaceful, but also willing to agree to peace with Israel?

In earlier negotiations, Hamas repeatedly changed the terms of agreements that were supposedly settled. Why does anyone think it is serious about making a firm commitment at this time?

If we look at the terms of the most recent agreement presented by Trump, there are clearly problems with executing it.

First, Hamas is choosing to interpret the agreement in a totally unsatisfactory way. It is demanding that Israel withdraw its troops while Hamas is “handing over its weapons” (that is, before it even disarms). Hamas has specified that it should be allowed to keep certain types of weapons. There is no way that Netanyahu will allow Israel to become vulnerable unless Hamas relinquishes all of its weapons first:

The group has avoided using the term ‘disarmament.’ It says it agreed to hand over its weapons for storage under a US-backed Palestinian technocratic administration that would govern Gaza under the supervision of the Board of Peace.

(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...


TOPICS: Society
KEYWORDS: hamas; islam; jihad; palestinianauthority; trumpspeaceplan; wedeclaredpeace
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1 posted on 08/16/2026 7:02:01 AM PDT by MtnClimber
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To: MtnClimber

How do you negotiate with people who deal in deception?


2 posted on 08/16/2026 7:02:12 AM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber
How do you negotiate with people who deal in deception?

I think I see a pattern here...

We must end our presumptions that these people want peace, in any form. They don't. They want conquest. Period. At the expense of their own lives, no problem.

They pray for it five times a day.

3 posted on 08/16/2026 7:08:06 AM PDT by Carry_Okie (The tree of liberty needs a rope.)
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To: Carry_Okie

TRUE


4 posted on 08/16/2026 7:09:28 AM PDT by PGalt (Past Peak Civilization?)
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To: MtnClimber

The muslim Horde don’t want peace


5 posted on 08/16/2026 7:13:43 AM PDT by butlerweave (Fateh)
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To: MtnClimber

Why should we expect, or even hope, for anything else?


6 posted on 08/16/2026 7:24:48 AM PDT by Socon-Econ (adi)
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To: MtnClimber

Their goal is to wipe out all Jews. As long as they have that goal peace is impossible.


7 posted on 08/16/2026 7:28:40 AM PDT by Seruzawa ("The political left is the Garden of Eden of incompetence." -Marx the Smarter (Groucho.))
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To: MtnClimber

What does the HAMAS Charter say? Does it allow peace with Israel? Or is it committed to Israel’s destruction?


8 posted on 08/16/2026 7:32:08 AM PDT by Jan_Sobieski (Sanctification;)
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To: MtnClimber

Ethnic relocation is always an option.?.? Perhaps Iran will take Gazans since all the Christians have left (except George Stephanopolis’ ugly sister)


9 posted on 08/16/2026 7:33:59 AM PDT by Jan_Sobieski (Sanctification;)
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To: MtnClimber

this Gaza situation makes me wonder what would have happened in WWII if we were committed to negotiating with Germany and Japan for a peaceful ceasefire and eventual settlement of our differences.


10 posted on 08/16/2026 7:37:46 AM PDT by ChronicMA
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To: MtnClimber

Do not pretend to negotiate with rabid dogs.

This is why DJTrump and Israel are being reviled in the DNC and MSM as at odds. DJT will not come out and say that the hamas and their supporters are trash people. He is trying to walk softly, and that does not work with trash.


11 posted on 08/16/2026 7:59:50 AM PDT by bobbo666
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To: MtnClimber

The prospects for peace in Gaza become darker all the time

That should be simple.   Get rid of the Palestinians.

12 posted on 08/16/2026 8:28:10 AM PDT by higgmeister (In the Shadow of The Big Chicken! )
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To: MtnClimber
FTA: Hamas perpetrated the October 7, 2023, attack. Although Hamas likes to blame its actions on Israel’s occupation of Gaza, Israel turned Gaza over to the Palestinians nearly 20 years ago.

This ⬆️ statement is disingenuous. In 2005, Israel closed its settlements and moved its citizens out of the Gaza Strip. Israel did not relinquish control. ---- Personally, I do not care if you agree with and support Israel's actions in Gaza, or not. But, please, don't promote what simply is not true; doing so helps nothing.

Israel Controls:

° The IDF occupies wide perimeter and interior sectors, enforcing strict access bans. ° Israel has complete operational oversight of air and maritime movement. ° Israel has control over commercial and pedestrian entry gates --- regulating the flow of all incoming and outgoing goods, fuel, and people, (preventing entrance into and exit out of Gaza, controlling medical supplies, food, construction materials,) ° Israel controls all utilities, including sanitation (safe waste removal, sewage treatment, and trash collection), clean drinking water and electricity. (**Control" includes denial and withholding) ° Israel maintains a mandatory registry with data for legal identification, telephone distribution and movement tracking.

13 posted on 08/16/2026 8:29:09 AM PDT by Right_in_Virginia ( )
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To: MtnClimber

Forget “peace” with terrorist murder gengsters. That’s delusional. Hamas is being destroyed. Same for Hezballah and plo. Hoping same for the murderous thugs in Iran soon— forget all the talk and threats and minimalist hrlp (at best) from Arabs and Europe. Worthless as Allies. Some are backstabbing enemies of America anyway . Just let our great USA and USN the job already! Leave an effective and credible monitoring squad, also continue all
intelligence (space force, electronics, findncial, etc) and bring the rest of our guys home. 🏠 too much talk. Loose lips sink ships. Too
Much delaying. wtf for?! It’s only enabling the enemy to recover, rearm, redeploy, and renew wider attacks. Snatching defeat from the very jaws of victory.


14 posted on 08/16/2026 8:50:45 AM PDT by faithhopecharity ("Politicians aren't born, they're excreted." Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 to 43 BCE))
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To: Carry_Okie

They also think it is ok to lie to non muslims


15 posted on 08/16/2026 9:33:27 AM PDT by Karoo (..)
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To: butlerweave

It all makes sense:
1) You demand HAMAS disarm to start a “peace” process.
They refuse and pretend to store their weapons inside of Gaza.
2) You build an “International” force to carry out the Peace process.
Unfortunately the countries monitoring this are all radical Islamic Brotherhood states who support HAMAS.

Then the West backs down on its insistence that HAMAS disarm.
The Arab or Islamic countries play along with Trump but really screw him over.

Israel is forced to withdraw from Gaza and we go back to square one from October 6th 2023.

= TYOTAL FAILURE

End result? Gaza remains in rubble and HAMAS stays in power. THis all equals NO CHANGE ON THE GROUND AT ALL.


16 posted on 08/16/2026 9:35:38 AM PDT by Netz ( and looking for a way ti IMPROVE mankind.)
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To: Carry_Okie

Give them what they say they most want. Ship them all to Allah’s paradise, the only ‘place’ that will take them. Dieing gloriously fighting Israel, with 100% islamic casualties and 0% Israeli ones still fits Allah’s admission price. Once all are there Israel will figure out something profitable to do with the remaining ruble.


17 posted on 08/16/2026 10:37:53 AM PDT by JohnBovenmyer
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To: MtnClimber

The other day, Freeper Gene Eric said it best

Islam is a war plan.


18 posted on 08/16/2026 11:24:08 AM PDT by Ronaldus Magnus III (Do, or do not, there is no try. )
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To: Seruzawa
"...goal is to wipe out all Jews..." Make that the first goal is to kill all Jews.

The islamists, by religion, must convert or kill all unbelievers. There is no other option allowed. They must use any form of deception available toward that end. Their holy book, the koran, requires it.

19 posted on 08/16/2026 11:24:41 AM PDT by budj (Combat Vet, second of three generations.)
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To: Ronaldus Magnus III

I’m sure I have some parts wrong, but I recall reading that Islam was created after some group was conquering various places in the Middle East. The conquered people were all sorts of warring tribes and it was difficult to maintain control of the conquered people.

So they created Islam to unite the people and to give them the same rules to live by, rules that the conquerors would enforce. So more like a government or constitution.

Of course that “constitution” also has the war plan in it. Killing the “infidel”, ruling over them, etc.


20 posted on 08/16/2026 11:33:37 AM PDT by 21twelve (Ever Vigilant - Never Fearful)
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