With President Donald Trump's 20-point proposal for peace in Gaza on the table, Daniel Flesch, a national security senior policy analyst at the Heritage Foundation, told Newsmax on Monday that "this time is different" because the president has circumvented Hamas to find support in the Arab world.
"There are a few different elements here," Flesch said on "National Report." "One is it's clear that Israel enjoys the full support of the United States, which was not enjoyed in the last administration. Number two is Israel has defeated all Hamas supporters in the region, mainly Hezbollah in the north. Obviously, it's attacked Iran with U.S. support earlier this summer.
"And finally, similar to the Abraham Accords, the president went around the Palestinians, around Hamas, to the Arab world to say, 'Let me solicit your support. Let's get all on the same side here and pressure Hamas.' So, Hamas is without options."
Trump unveiled a 20-point plan late last month to end the Israel-Hamas war, secure the release of the remaining hostages, demilitarize Gaza, and lay the groundwork for reconstruction and governance under international supervision.
Still, Noy Leyb, an Israel Defense Forces reservist, questioned why Hamas would accept the terms of a U.S.-brokered deal that seeks to disarm it.
"This time definitely feels a little bit different, and I am hopeful, but if we look at the past, you know, there's been pressure from a lot of different people, but it's never really gone to a point where Hamas has said, 'OK,'" he said. "I mean, if you think about it, why would Hamas, a terrorist organization that wants to get rid of Israel, just lift up their guns and say, 'You know what, fine, we're out'?
"So, having been there serving in the reserves for over 300 days, still being in reserves right now, seeing what they want to do to us Jews and us Israelis and the people of Israel, I don't see why they would fully agree to this deal," Leyb added.
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Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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