In light of reports of progress in the talks on a hostage deal, Zvi Yehezkeli, the celebrated commentator on Arab affairs for i24NEWS, claimed: "Hamas wants the agreement more than we do – we are not the weak side for the first time," and listed the reasons for the terror organization's flexibility.
At the beginning of his remarks, Yehezkeli compared the current situation to the Shalit deal: "Assuming that all the reports, including the report in the Washington Post, assume that Hamas has become more flexible, and assuming that there is one brain in Hamas that knows where all the hostages are, then let's put it this way: If we take the Shalit deal, we see that for the first time there is flexibility for Hamas."
He went on to list the reasons for Hamas' flexibility: "This is happening and there is a reason for it, the reason is first of all Trump's threat from the White House. Hamas is looking at Mount Hermon and knows that Israel can also take territories, and it is concerned that Israel will also take territories north of the Netzarim corridor, and therefore it is demanding the return of residents to the northern Gaza Strip. In other words, Israel will not hold the territory."
At the end of his remarks, Yehezkeli said: "We are returning to only one principle – force worked, the military pressure worked and we must continue. Therefore, there are advantages here that need to be increased, but we are still seeing a change, and this change is certainly welcome. I think that Hamas now wants the agreement more, Israel can continue, and therefore whoever wants the agreement more is the weaker one. For the first time, we can say no to the weakness."
* Maariv contributed to this article.
