By Douglas V. Gibbs
The October 2025 ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, brokered by President Trump, has been hailed by some as a historic breakthrough. Senator J.D. Vance and others have echoed the sentiment, calling it a lasting peace. I agree that peace in the Middle East is a wonderful thing, but we must also recognize the ideological underpinnings of Islam and the historical behavior of Hamas. The reality is, optimism that Islam will abide by the peace deal long-term is dangerously naïve.
The ink on the ceasefire agreement was barely dry when Gaza erupted into chaos. Hamas, desperate to reassert control, launched raids against rival militias and armed clans. In Khan Yunis, the Al-Mujaida clan clashed violently with Hamas operatives, resulting in dozens of deaths. Public executions, arson attacks, and gun battles have turned Gaza into a cauldron of civil unrest.
A pro-Hamas social media influencer known as “Mr. FAFO” was found shot in the head, reportedly a casualty of internecine warfare. Experts say Hamas is attempting to centralize power, but members of at least three anti-Hamas militias have told Sky News they will not disarm. The specter of civil war looms large.
Meanwhile, Israel claims Hamas has already violated the peace agreement 47 times.
Hamas officials have floated the idea of a 3–5 year truce, during which they would retain security control over Gaza. But history teaches us that such truces are tactical pauses, not genuine peace offerings. Islam permits deception if it advances the cause. Agreements are made to be broken when the balance of power shifts.
Twenty years ago, Israel withdrew from Gaza in the hope of peace. Instead, it got rockets, tunnels, and terror. That path led directly to the horrors of October 7. To now entertain the idea of a Palestinian state while Hamas remains armed and ideologically committed to Israel’s destruction is to invite catastrophe.
Gaza is not some foreign enclave. It is Israeli territory, won in war and defended in blood. Calls for a Palestinian state ignore the reality that Israel is surrounded by enemies who seek its annihilation. Prime Minister Netanyahu has rightly stated that there must be no Palestinian state under current conditions. To concede otherwise is to gamble with Jewish lives.
While we commend President Trump for halting the immediate bloodshed, we must not mistake quiet for peace. The Islamist doctrine that fuels Hamas is not interested in coexistence. It seeks conquest. The ceasefire is not a conclusion. It is a regrouping.
Let us not be lulled into complacency. Let us remember the lessons of history, the nature of the enemy, and the sacred duty to defend liberty and life. Peace is not a paper agreement, it is the absence of threat. And until Hamas is disarmed, dismantled, and ideologically defeated, peace will remain a mirage.
— Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary
