Israel Just Took a Huge Step to Escalate the War. It Risks Alienating Trump.

"Israel today launched an air strike on Hamas leaders in Doha, the capital of Qatar, where they were discussing a possible peace deal in Gaza-a move that signals three things. First, no ceasefire, much less an enduring peace, is anywhere near, much less on, the table. Second, Hamas is in weaker shape than ever. But third, despite its military advantages, Israel is widening the war at huge political risks."

"At first glance, the air strikes had seemed a follow-up to Trump's threats against Hamas' leaders on Monday, demanding that they sign a ceasefire proposal that he and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had made-" or else." Later that day, Hamas issued a statement rejecting the deal, saying that it wasn't a real peace offer at all but rather a ploy whose " primary goal " was to prompt a rejection."

"It seems unlikely that Netanyahu would order such a dramatic strike without Trump's consent. Then again, it's unclear why Trump's press secretary would condemn the attack in such sharp terms-a rebuke that would soften whatever blow Netanyahu meant to deliver-if it were insincere. Did Netanyahu interpret Trump's threat as a green light after Hamas nixed the ceasefire proposal? Did Trump or one of his emissaries say something that bolstered Netanyahu's impression, without quite knowing the implications of what he was saying?"

Israel launched an airstrike on Hamas leaders meeting in Doha, Qatar, where a possible Gaza peace deal was under discussion. The strike indicates that a ceasefire or enduring peace is not near, that Hamas is weaker than ever, and that Israel is expanding the conflict despite political costs. Those costs include further alienating President Donald Trump; his press secretary Karoline Leavitt condemned the bombing inside Qatar as counterproductive to U.S. and Israeli goals. Hamas had rejected the ceasefire proposal as a ploy. News agencies reported that the White House knew of the attack beforehand and informed the Qataris.

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