US War on Gaza 'Success': Hamas Still in Control
Mainstream outlets are now 'discovering' Hamas is regulating prices and monitoring goods in Gaza. This 'reassertion of control' (or perhaps, 'never lost control') comes after months of Israel's declared objective to 'eliminate' the group, a 'total victory' narrative echoed by the Biden administration. One might wonder if the US ever asked what actually happens when you annihilate infrastructure
and create a humanitarian catastrophe: Someone has to pick up the pieces, and historically, that's often the existing power structure, no matter how much Washington wishes it away. The US has routinely dismissed talks with Hamas, while Netanyahu's government explicitly undermined the Palestinian Authority for years, ensuring there was no viable governing alternative. Now, with no 'day after' plan
emerging from Washington beyond vague hand-waving and no political horizon for Palestinians, Gaza is simply reverting to its default leadership. It’s an outcome as predictable as the sun rising, yet presented as a surprise. How many times must this cycle repeat before policymakers understand that you can't bomb a political movement out of existence, especially when you offer no political solution?