The fog of war remains intense. There are increasing accounts suggesting that Israel is encountering problems in mobilization and in munitions supplies. The kind of problems NATO has encountered in Ukraine. How serious these problems actually are—shortages of smart munitions would be the most serious—is difficult to say. CNN is reporting that the Israelis are asking for large amounts of munitions and weapons systems from the US. This would suggest that the IDF is concerned that it does not have what a ground invasion of Gaza would require—considerations not only of amounts but of kinds (of weapons and munitions). A resort to dumb bombs would increase civilian casualties—already heavy—exponentially. That might not bother the Israeli and American extreme right—the Marcos and Lindseys! in the use, the “settlers” in Israel—but it would cause global blowback against Israel after the initial burst of “We stand with Israel.” All these considerations may explain why the claimed beginning of the Israeli ground invasion, which was announced two days ago, had yet to come off. One presumes that discussions between the US and Israel are at an intense level on all these issues. Presumably we’ll get some more clarity in the coming days.
Thank you for sharing this. Even a photo of Blinky tends to have me frothing at the mouth irrationally, and I believe him to be a thoroughly evil person... but this report suggests that he has struck a balance, of sorts, that augurs well. The wider view expressed by M. K. Bhadrakumar is very clear-sighted, he lives up to his name (auspicious son).
I’m sure this will be old news to most here, but Zerohedge posted a story about John Kirby saying point blank that “aid for Ukraine is coming to an end “ and that it won’t go on indefinitely! Gee, we go from “as long as it takes” to “see you clowns later, hope things work out for you with the Russia thing”…….
It's important to understand how completely un-monolithic Jews are on the issue of Israel and Zionism. The fiercest and most effective critics of Israel on my feed today are Jewish. Don't let propagandists frame this as "Jew haters vs Jews" when it's really justice vs injustice.
Quote
Censored Men
@CensoredMen
Pro-Palestine Jews explain why they support Palestine.
“You’ve cut yourself off from Judaism by affiliating with Zionism.”
Forgive me if I’m misinterpreting this, but the inference seems to be that reports of atrocity against Palestinians are legitimate and factual (and I’m not saying this one isn’t factual), while reports of atrocity against Israelis are just atrocity porn. That can’t be what you’re saying.
It wasn’t meant to be invidious. That’s why I said, “That can’t be what you’re saying,” because I couldn’t quite believe it, having followed your posts for some time now. But thank you for the clarification.
Obama's energy Czar was (on film)quoted as saying the goal was to make gasoline $10 a gallon to rid the people of their automobiles. They're getting there. $10/Gal. does not deter or inflict pain on a billionaire but it crushes the proles.
The BRICS could smell blood in the water and play an even bigger, bolder game: cripple the big players in the West permanently or so severely that it will take years to recover. $8.00 gasoline could easily become “ the good ol’ days”, food shortages could become the norm, a worthless dollar being replaced with a digital currency, declaration of martial law to preserve order in the country, no more elections……. Call me crazy, but this situation could easily get out of control and reach critical mass in a heartbeat.
I’m with ya Ray, my cynicism is off the charts at this point.
Good grief. Looks like the fundamental transformation of America will continue apace. $10 - $20 per gallon gas, if you can get it, will maybe awaken the dummies in America. So much for the adults being back in charge. Another lie to the gullible American people.
It is ironic that the weapons you really might prefer to have here are old-fashioned howitzers with dumb projectiles and exactly the same cheap, dumb rockets Hamas and Hezbollah use.
Fantastic post, as usual, Mark! I have one quibble, though. Why apply the label of “extreme right” to “the Marcos and Lindseys!”? I hardly consider them right-wing (i.e., conservative) at all. Rather, I hold them to be cynical warmongers whose true allegiances are with the MIC and their own wealth and power rather than with any principles or ideals that I would recognize as “right-wing.” Just sayin.
Well, fair enough. But 'left' and 'right' and 'far left' and 'far right' are really no longer sensible descriptors for the politics of the world we live in, are they? Nor are liberal and conservative. Neocon and neolib may work, but only because they can mean anything their adherents profess to believe in. If you can believe them.
Right. Instead of left/right or liberal/conservative we could revert to old-timey dichotomies like insane/sane or good/evil since this is what we actually mean, no?
A ground invasion of Gaza could be potentially catastrophic for the IDF- Hamas no doubt has dug in structures everywhere- it would be like the fighting in Stalingrad was in WWII. A siege made more strategic sense to me, but to make it work would require the Israelis first cut the connection to Gaza on the Egyptian border, and for the Israelis being willing to sink any ship or boat that runs the naval blockade and to shoot down any plane that attempts a landing in Gaza. Not sure the Israelis would be willing to do those latter two requirements.
There are no good options for Israel, though. The best most humanitarian outcome I see plausible is to cut all traffic, water, and electrical power from the Israeli side, and then mine to a depth of a thousand feet every square meter of the Gazan, Egyptian, and Lebanese borders, and to be prepared to shoot down without exception anything that flies out of any of those three territories.
I share Credenda's doubts.... The Gaza-Egypt connection is not viable as things stand, see link below. The crossing was bombed two or three days ago (so much has happened- it may even have been just yesterday). The same source is suggesting that a one-day deadline has been given for all residents of Gaza to go South... so this could change very quickly. Egypt is being placed in a lose-lose situation. Accepting the refugees could be argued as facilitating the land-grab that would follow, but it is the right thing to do in humane terms.
Sieges don't work if you allow humanitarian ship convoys. I guess it depends on what Israel decides the goal is, but they haven't really stated what that goal is other than to kill every member of Hamas which, in my opinion, isn't possible without a ground invasion or effective siege, and might not be possible with a ground invasion either.
It leaves the Gazans to fend for themselves without any trade whatsoever to/from Israel- I should have added and clarified though- I mean only that all access of Gazans to Israeli airspace and land are cut off. The Gazans would be free to fly in and out of their own air space and take in sea traffic.
With Hamas calling for a national day of jihad tomorrow throughout the world, Rabbi's would be wise to request a police presence near synagogues here in the USA. Underlying the petulant college students support for the Palestinians and Hamas is likely a more virulent form of anti-Semitism seeking attention through violent action. Perhaps some of those much-discussed sleeper cells assumed to be in the country will be activated. If that occurs and causes significant loss of life, there will be one political party that allowed unlimited illegal immigration these past few years with much to answer for.
I hate to speculate on things like terrorist acts, but USA would be foolish not to be on high alert--which I presume they are. But prevention is tough if the actors are pros.
Remarkable events indeed. One would expect Israel to be more in touch with reality than their Western neocon backers, but they too seem to have strayed into a parallel universe. Their much vaunted way of war and weaponry have been shown to be as clay-footed as NATO's. It's also impressive to see the unity on the Arab side. They finally seem to have gotten things together. This is lining up to be another massive defeat for the neocons.
Maybe, William. However, things are changing. These countries like so many RoW nations are realising that the Western neocons are their real enemy and that if they don't join together, they will be crushed separately. Look at how the Saudis, after years of quiescence, have suddenly found some backbone. It doesn't mean they'll ever be bosom buddies or that any alliance will be more than a marriage of convenience, but they hear nutters like Graham and Nuland and realise that it's time to sink their differences in the interest of survival.
Trump hit reality with the Abraham Accords. No more bleeding for the Palestinians. They talk solidarity with the Arab masses, but it is telling that Egypt wants no part of this and is closing the border. The mantra is to prevent the Palestinians from leaving Gaza, as the Israelis proposed, but they know this is serious. This is existential for Israel, and may require them to defy the whole world. No hurry to invade, but they have to close the border for a long time. Good fences make good neighbors, said Robert Frost, and when your neighbors are murderers and kidnappers that goes double.
"Good fences make good neighbors, said Robert Frost, and when your neighbors are murderers and kidnappers that goes double."
Is that a two way street? What happens when your neighbors are self identified "settlers' bent on expelling you from your home and land? Is this not existential for Palestinians as well?
I hadn't heard the Israelis were intent on taking over Gaza. On the contrary, the Israeli government kicked the Jews settled in Gaza out and gave it to the Palestinians. Are you talking pre-1948? Jews lived in Israel/Palestine but did not have a political entity. Who has the right to live there? Whatever you conclude, there are conflicts that pop up, and soldiers kill soldiers. Animals behead, rape and torture, attacking the helpless nd even innocent babies.
If Hamas returned immediately all the hostages and bodies that would probably calm the situation down a lot, and make Israel into the aggressor over reacting for the narrative.
I don’t see Hamas doing it.
And Biden reduced substantially the strategic oil reserve that was built up after the last oil embargo, sigh.
And Biden stopped the gas pipeline from Israel to Europe.
And Biden has done his best to reduce oil drilling in the us, and the pipelines needed.
What a mess, and a huge potential economic disaster for the US.
Or did you mean, 'If Israel agreed to an exchange of prisoners'. Because Hamas won't agree to free Israelis if Israel won't free prisoners. An agreement to a negotiated exchange would probably calm the situation down a lot. But Israel has already said, no negotiation with terrorists. But Hamas regards Israel as a terrorist state. Much of the world already regards Israel as an aggressor because it refuses to give up the Golan and continues to dispossess Palestinians--often with forms of violence--on the West Bank.
C'mon man. "Syria is still in a civil war"? That doesn't pass the laff test. Syria isn't in a civil war. Syria is suffering from an assault of Sunni jihadis who were armed, trained, funded by the US, UK, Turkey, KSA, Israel and maybe a few more. Israel openly treated wounded al Qaeda fighters in hospitals in the Golan.
Hezbollah justifies it's existence and power by representing 31% of the population that was marginalized until Hezbollah came along.
Israel isn't looking for an eye for an eye. It's looking to continue the status quo or to accelerate the status quo--which is the gradual expropriation of Palestinians and transformation of Israel into a theocracy of sorts.
Victor Davis Hanson commented in Tuckers interview video the Left is implementing a revolution, but the gop does not see it. I’ve never heard / read him do negative.
Interesting that Ukraine support of "as much as it takes" has morphed today in John Kirby comments to "this can't go on forever". Asking for a friend: Do you to think the Biden team would try to distract from one disaster by "looking over here" with another world event? The $6 billion they just sent make it a bit tricky, but nothing is beyond them, imo.
Zelensky is about to experience the fun of the US moving on.
Guessing Israel is dealing with pragmatic reality of their situation:
1) Hamas forces are hiding underground and ground force invasion of Gaza would generate high casualties on all sides with no promise of success.
2) IDF was totally unprepared for this attack, which raises real questions regarding readiness. Reports of inabillity to outfit reserve callups are rampant.
3) Hezbullah forces in North raise spector of two front war. IDF has recent battlescars from previous disaster in South Lebanon.
4) Egypt has Gaza exit sealed and won't allow push of Gaza population into Sinai.
5) US is telling them they don't want Gaza bloodbath.
Missed that. Admin quickly threw cold water on "Bomb Iran" craziness. What's little Lindsey and Nikki Hailey going to do?
In looking at Sy Hersch article this morning, BN enabling Hamas will lead to his departure soon, so political instability is another ingredient in the stew.
Bibi knows that the only chance of rehabilitation (and it probably wouldn't be enough anyway) would be wipe out Hamas with extreme prejudice with all the mutual blood-letting that this would involve.
Pretty good overview of US position, options, difficulties
https://www.indianpunchline.com/us-in-a-quandary-over-israels-war-on-gaza/
Thank you for sharing this. Even a photo of Blinky tends to have me frothing at the mouth irrationally, and I believe him to be a thoroughly evil person... but this report suggests that he has struck a balance, of sorts, that augurs well. The wider view expressed by M. K. Bhadrakumar is very clear-sighted, he lives up to his name (auspicious son).
I’m sure this will be old news to most here, but Zerohedge posted a story about John Kirby saying point blank that “aid for Ukraine is coming to an end “ and that it won’t go on indefinitely! Gee, we go from “as long as it takes” to “see you clowns later, hope things work out for you with the Russia thing”…….
https://twitter.com/caitoz/status/1711864267782471745 with video:
It's important to understand how completely un-monolithic Jews are on the issue of Israel and Zionism. The fiercest and most effective critics of Israel on my feed today are Jewish. Don't let propagandists frame this as "Jew haters vs Jews" when it's really justice vs injustice.
Quote
Censored Men
@CensoredMen
Pro-Palestine Jews explain why they support Palestine.
“You’ve cut yourself off from Judaism by affiliating with Zionism.”
At least he wasn't beheaded, right?
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/7/31/palestinian-baby-burned-to-death-in-settler-attack
Is that Al Jazeera headline an example of the atrocity porn you were talking about the other day?
No. Just a statement of fact.
Forgive me if I’m misinterpreting this, but the inference seems to be that reports of atrocity against Palestinians are legitimate and factual (and I’m not saying this one isn’t factual), while reports of atrocity against Israelis are just atrocity porn. That can’t be what you’re saying.
Yes, you are misinterpreting, but I don't forgive invidious misinterpretations. Revealing though they may be.
It wasn’t meant to be invidious. That’s why I said, “That can’t be what you’re saying,” because I couldn’t quite believe it, having followed your posts for some time now. But thank you for the clarification.
I said 'invidious' because there was absolutely nothing in what I said to justify that interpretation.
This event could be the Death Knell for the Uniparty.
The rhyme of Jimmy Carter is ringing in my head.
I'm 56 and lived through the OPEC Ordeal of the 1970s.
I can see the BRICS running that game back on the NeoCons by next summer just in time to ruin Biden's reelection chances.
$8.00/gallon gasoline will make even the Wokest NPC (non-playable character in a video game) vote for Trump.
Obama's energy Czar was (on film)quoted as saying the goal was to make gasoline $10 a gallon to rid the people of their automobiles. They're getting there. $10/Gal. does not deter or inflict pain on a billionaire but it crushes the proles.
The BRICS could smell blood in the water and play an even bigger, bolder game: cripple the big players in the West permanently or so severely that it will take years to recover. $8.00 gasoline could easily become “ the good ol’ days”, food shortages could become the norm, a worthless dollar being replaced with a digital currency, declaration of martial law to preserve order in the country, no more elections……. Call me crazy, but this situation could easily get out of control and reach critical mass in a heartbeat.
I’m with ya Ray, my cynicism is off the charts at this point.
And question the wisdom with standing with crazed "settlers".
Hillary lost the election because she promoted the two state solution, Trump immediately declared Jerusalem the capital.
This is an internecine war between the globalists vs the regionalists.
Bibi won’t play ball with the globalists, he’s going down swinging which means anything can happen, very dangerous times.
https://original.antiwar.com/cook/2023/10/11/the-blood-of-gaza-is-on-the-wests-hands-as-much-as-israels/
Good grief. Looks like the fundamental transformation of America will continue apace. $10 - $20 per gallon gas, if you can get it, will maybe awaken the dummies in America. So much for the adults being back in charge. Another lie to the gullible American people.
Stolen elections have consequences, sigh.
It is ironic that the weapons you really might prefer to have here are old-fashioned howitzers with dumb projectiles and exactly the same cheap, dumb rockets Hamas and Hezbollah use.
And the us just moved 300,000 shells from Israel to Ukraine.
Another brilliant Biden Administration decision.
and I can't help thinking that turmoil is about to become the norm.
With Nato and US forces and resources tide up by first Ukraine and now Israel/Hammas, forces and people held in restraint will now make moves.
I am thinking a few changes in governments in Africa.
SE asia,maybe?
The central and southern Americas?.
And the Arab world looks to be uniting, that oil could be a very serious leverage.
Fantastic post, as usual, Mark! I have one quibble, though. Why apply the label of “extreme right” to “the Marcos and Lindseys!”? I hardly consider them right-wing (i.e., conservative) at all. Rather, I hold them to be cynical warmongers whose true allegiances are with the MIC and their own wealth and power rather than with any principles or ideals that I would recognize as “right-wing.” Just sayin.
McCainers
The traitor class seems to always be en vogue among the globalists and war mongers.
I agree. Perhaps I need to linger over word choice more.
Well, fair enough. But 'left' and 'right' and 'far left' and 'far right' are really no longer sensible descriptors for the politics of the world we live in, are they? Nor are liberal and conservative. Neocon and neolib may work, but only because they can mean anything their adherents profess to believe in. If you can believe them.
Right. Instead of left/right or liberal/conservative we could revert to old-timey dichotomies like insane/sane or good/evil since this is what we actually mean, no?
I have to express myself or I'll burst, and I'd rather not have to invent my own language.
LOL
A ground invasion of Gaza could be potentially catastrophic for the IDF- Hamas no doubt has dug in structures everywhere- it would be like the fighting in Stalingrad was in WWII. A siege made more strategic sense to me, but to make it work would require the Israelis first cut the connection to Gaza on the Egyptian border, and for the Israelis being willing to sink any ship or boat that runs the naval blockade and to shoot down any plane that attempts a landing in Gaza. Not sure the Israelis would be willing to do those latter two requirements.
There are no good options for Israel, though. The best most humanitarian outcome I see plausible is to cut all traffic, water, and electrical power from the Israeli side, and then mine to a depth of a thousand feet every square meter of the Gazan, Egyptian, and Lebanese borders, and to be prepared to shoot down without exception anything that flies out of any of those three territories.
I share Credenda's doubts.... The Gaza-Egypt connection is not viable as things stand, see link below. The crossing was bombed two or three days ago (so much has happened- it may even have been just yesterday). The same source is suggesting that a one-day deadline has been given for all residents of Gaza to go South... so this could change very quickly. Egypt is being placed in a lose-lose situation. Accepting the refugees could be argued as facilitating the land-grab that would follow, but it is the right thing to do in humane terms.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/12/egypt-says-israel-seeks-to-empty-gaza-rejects-corridors-for-civilians
Helmer reads into Erdogan's discussion with Putin suggests Turkey may try sending a humanitarian ship convoy.
Sieges don't work if you allow humanitarian ship convoys. I guess it depends on what Israel decides the goal is, but they haven't really stated what that goal is other than to kill every member of Hamas which, in my opinion, isn't possible without a ground invasion or effective siege, and might not be possible with a ground invasion either.
It leaves the Gazans to fend for themselves without any trade whatsoever to/from Israel- I should have added and clarified though- I mean only that all access of Gazans to Israeli airspace and land are cut off. The Gazans would be free to fly in and out of their own air space and take in sea traffic.
With Hamas calling for a national day of jihad tomorrow throughout the world, Rabbi's would be wise to request a police presence near synagogues here in the USA. Underlying the petulant college students support for the Palestinians and Hamas is likely a more virulent form of anti-Semitism seeking attention through violent action. Perhaps some of those much-discussed sleeper cells assumed to be in the country will be activated. If that occurs and causes significant loss of life, there will be one political party that allowed unlimited illegal immigration these past few years with much to answer for.
I hate to speculate on things like terrorist acts, but USA would be foolish not to be on high alert--which I presume they are. But prevention is tough if the actors are pros.
Surprised that the Zhou administration has not prompted high alert here in US to drum up more support or not to support more Hamas sympathizers.
Remarkable events indeed. One would expect Israel to be more in touch with reality than their Western neocon backers, but they too seem to have strayed into a parallel universe. Their much vaunted way of war and weaponry have been shown to be as clay-footed as NATO's. It's also impressive to see the unity on the Arab side. They finally seem to have gotten things together. This is lining up to be another massive defeat for the neocons.
Maybe, William. However, things are changing. These countries like so many RoW nations are realising that the Western neocons are their real enemy and that if they don't join together, they will be crushed separately. Look at how the Saudis, after years of quiescence, have suddenly found some backbone. It doesn't mean they'll ever be bosom buddies or that any alliance will be more than a marriage of convenience, but they hear nutters like Graham and Nuland and realise that it's time to sink their differences in the interest of survival.
Trump hit reality with the Abraham Accords. No more bleeding for the Palestinians. They talk solidarity with the Arab masses, but it is telling that Egypt wants no part of this and is closing the border. The mantra is to prevent the Palestinians from leaving Gaza, as the Israelis proposed, but they know this is serious. This is existential for Israel, and may require them to defy the whole world. No hurry to invade, but they have to close the border for a long time. Good fences make good neighbors, said Robert Frost, and when your neighbors are murderers and kidnappers that goes double.
"Good fences make good neighbors, said Robert Frost, and when your neighbors are murderers and kidnappers that goes double."
Is that a two way street? What happens when your neighbors are self identified "settlers' bent on expelling you from your home and land? Is this not existential for Palestinians as well?
I hadn't heard the Israelis were intent on taking over Gaza. On the contrary, the Israeli government kicked the Jews settled in Gaza out and gave it to the Palestinians. Are you talking pre-1948? Jews lived in Israel/Palestine but did not have a political entity. Who has the right to live there? Whatever you conclude, there are conflicts that pop up, and soldiers kill soldiers. Animals behead, rape and torture, attacking the helpless nd even innocent babies.
That was then, this is now. Is the Israeli government about to kick the crazed "settlers" out of their illegal settlements on the West Bank?
If Hamas returned immediately all the hostages and bodies that would probably calm the situation down a lot, and make Israel into the aggressor over reacting for the narrative.
I don’t see Hamas doing it.
And Biden reduced substantially the strategic oil reserve that was built up after the last oil embargo, sigh.
And Biden stopped the gas pipeline from Israel to Europe.
And Biden has done his best to reduce oil drilling in the us, and the pipelines needed.
What a mess, and a huge potential economic disaster for the US.
"If Hamas returned immediately all the hostages"
Or did you mean, 'If Israel agreed to an exchange of prisoners'. Because Hamas won't agree to free Israelis if Israel won't free prisoners. An agreement to a negotiated exchange would probably calm the situation down a lot. But Israel has already said, no negotiation with terrorists. But Hamas regards Israel as a terrorist state. Much of the world already regards Israel as an aggressor because it refuses to give up the Golan and continues to dispossess Palestinians--often with forms of violence--on the West Bank.
My guesses from halfway around the world.
Bibi can’t do a deal right now, he would be seen as a sellout.
Syria / Golan Heights is mostly quiet since Syria is still in a civil war with the country in ruins.
Al Jazeera is probably doing war porn glorifying the casualties in Gaza, which will inflame the Arab street and the West Bank.
Israel is looking for an eye for an eye, without mass Israeli military casualties.
Herzbolla uses the war with Israel to justify its existence and power In Lebanon. Fighting for Assad was not popular.
Hamas and Herzbolla have dug in and welcome an Israeli invasion.
Herzbolla has not activated a Northern Front yet.
Iran is backing Hamas and Herzbolla.
Hamas has convinced Israelis they can’t be lived with, and the state s quo needs to change.
We will see what happens, I have no idea.
C'mon man. "Syria is still in a civil war"? That doesn't pass the laff test. Syria isn't in a civil war. Syria is suffering from an assault of Sunni jihadis who were armed, trained, funded by the US, UK, Turkey, KSA, Israel and maybe a few more. Israel openly treated wounded al Qaeda fighters in hospitals in the Golan.
Hezbollah justifies it's existence and power by representing 31% of the population that was marginalized until Hezbollah came along.
Israel isn't looking for an eye for an eye. It's looking to continue the status quo or to accelerate the status quo--which is the gradual expropriation of Palestinians and transformation of Israel into a theocracy of sorts.
True. A cynical person might think that Biden (aka Team Obama) are doing all this on purpose.
Victor Davis Hanson commented in Tuckers interview video the Left is implementing a revolution, but the gop does not see it. I’ve never heard / read him do negative.
I just got around to finishing watching that interview today. An eye-opener.
Interesting that Ukraine support of "as much as it takes" has morphed today in John Kirby comments to "this can't go on forever". Asking for a friend: Do you to think the Biden team would try to distract from one disaster by "looking over here" with another world event? The $6 billion they just sent make it a bit tricky, but nothing is beyond them, imo.
Zelensky is about to experience the fun of the US moving on.
My vote is incompetence / cluelessness, while trying to remake the us into their fantasyland and staying in charge by any means possible.
Boy am I becoming cynical.
Today being cynical is a survival mechanism.
Guessing Israel is dealing with pragmatic reality of their situation:
1) Hamas forces are hiding underground and ground force invasion of Gaza would generate high casualties on all sides with no promise of success.
2) IDF was totally unprepared for this attack, which raises real questions regarding readiness. Reports of inabillity to outfit reserve callups are rampant.
3) Hezbullah forces in North raise spector of two front war. IDF has recent battlescars from previous disaster in South Lebanon.
4) Egypt has Gaza exit sealed and won't allow push of Gaza population into Sinai.
5) US is telling them they don't want Gaza bloodbath.
Other than that, they're ready to roll.
And Jordan moved up military.
Missed that. Admin quickly threw cold water on "Bomb Iran" craziness. What's little Lindsey and Nikki Hailey going to do?
In looking at Sy Hersch article this morning, BN enabling Hamas will lead to his departure soon, so political instability is another ingredient in the stew.
I was just talking about that in the car with my wife. I think that's a real possibility.
Bibi knows that the only chance of rehabilitation (and it probably wouldn't be enough anyway) would be wipe out Hamas with extreme prejudice with all the mutual blood-letting that this would involve.