Hamas never quits
By Jim Fletcher
There are consequences to easing up on terrorists. Especially jihadists.
Consider that in January of last year, a “ceasefire” was hammered out between Israel and Hamas. The last hostages were released, while Arab terrorists were released from prison (ensuring they would go back to the battlefield immediately). This negotiation was forced by the United States. Specifically, the President.
As we are seeing with Iran, unless you eliminate this particular threat, it hangs around and bites you down the road. Remember that Jimmy Carter (and others) thought Anwar Sadat was a peace partner but remember too that he once famously said he could sacrifice one million men in order to reclaim the Sinai, which Israel won in 1967. Like Stalin, the individual meant nothing to him. As an aside, Camp David should never have been forced on Israel.
We have just learned that a document recovered from the Gaza Strip demonstrates clearly that the tragic mistake of not eliminating Hamas altogether is exactly what the terror group hoped for (they now claim victory over Israel!).
“A document brought back from the Gaza Strip by the IDF showed that the Hamas military wing had exploited the ceasefire to train new operatives in preparation for a possible resumption of the war. It detailed training held between February 17 and March 1, 2025 for 121 new recruits who would then be integrated into the 4th al-Shuja’iya Battalion.
“According to the document, the training lasted only seven days and its schedule was carefully planned so that the entire process could be completed before the target date set for the end of the ceasefire.”
How duplicitous can Hamas get? We’re still finding out.
One of the worst outcomes of all this is, Hamas has been able to replenish its ranks. We heard during the active war that Israel was killing X number of fighters. Perhaps 30,000? Well, those got replaced. Like all totalitarian regimes, Hamas is able to coerce young men to jump into the meatgrinder…while the leadership stays safe in luxury.
The captured documents show, frankly, a shocking ability to adapt and even expand operations. And perhaps most frightening: Hamas supplements tactical training with extreme religious ideology. “Allah” remains the relationship goal.
Hamas is also able to utilize some of Israel’s best strategies. The remarkable Tavor weapon is now available to its enemies. And, because the release of Gilad Shalit, the captured Israeli soldier, after five years of captivity, led to Hamas terrorists released from prison. They then returned to the battlefield. That was in 2011.
The skills learned and taught by Hamas are many. They are even taught the differences between different types of unmanned aerial vehicles.
Finally, we cannot ignore the spreading ideology this sickness fosters. While Hamas is operationally confined to a greatly shrunken Gaza Strip, the worldview is, shockingly, resonating around the world. The two San Diego shooters, per The Jerusalem Post, were steeped in jihad:
“The two teenage gunmen who killed three people at the Islamic Center of San Diego, California, on Monday blamed all the world's issues on the Jews.
“The Jerusalem Post obtained a copy of the 75-page manifesto found in the possession of the two teens, both found dead, apparently from self-inflicted gunshot wounds, after the attack. The shooters were identified as Caleb Liam Vazquez, 18, and Cain Lee Clark, 17.
“While the targets of the shooting were Muslims, the manifesto indicates a deep and pervasive neo-Nazi antisemitism.”
Evil is clever, manipulative, and has no restraints when it comes to spreading hate and murder. Because Hamas was not eliminated, the murder group lives to terrorize another day.