Written by the released prisoner: Raed Abdel Jalil
In a vulgar theatrical performance, former US President Donald Trump issued a bombastic statement announcing the failure of negotiations regarding the war in Gaza and officially withdrawing US mediation. He blamed Hamas and addressed Israel in inflammatory terms: “You have to finish the job and see it through.” Despite the showmanship of this statement, its contents hint at a crucial development: America has lifted the lid on Israel, and Netanyahu is now in a corner, alone in the face of a complex political and security landscape that no longer allows for maneuvering.
From absolute support to disguised abandonment
Trump's speech, while appearing to give Israel the green light to continue its war on Gaza, is, at its core, a clever political reversal of responsibility for the failure. The United States, which has led mediation through multiple channels, is well aware that the Israeli war machine has not achieved any of its stated or hidden objectives, and that continuing to support a war with no political horizon will cost it further moral and diplomatic isolation.
In this context, Trump's statement—whether consciously or not—did not put pressure on the resistance so much as it presented Netanyahu with an unavoidable obligation: You have done everything you wanted, and now you must face the consequences alone.
Israeli admission of failure
What makes this American shift even more significant is that it coincides with explicit admissions from within the Israeli security establishment. Commenting on the stalled negotiations, Ronen Manelis, former IDF spokesman and director-general of the Ministry of Strategic Affairs, said:
“We’ve tried everything… sequential track, parallel track, with and without humanitarian aid, with and without a port, with and without strategy, with overt and covert objectives — so what’s the timeline for moving forward?”
This statement is not merely a complaint about a blurred vision, but rather a frank admission of a lack of options. Israel, which has long boasted of its multiple strategic alternatives, today appears politically and militarily naked. Every scenario has been tried, and all that remains is to explode in the face of decision-makers.
Netanyahu without cover... and without a plan
Given this reality, the Israeli prime minister finds himself in an existential dilemma. After exhausting all means of pressure and coercion, and turning his back on all political initiatives, he turned to Trump for a lifeline, only to be met with the latter's dismissal and his abandonment.
Today, Netanyahu cannot:
• Declare victory, because there is no clear victory.
• Withdrawal, because it will be interpreted as a humiliating defeat.
• Continue, because it is now without real international support.
Thus, the circles were closed on him, and he became a hostage to a policy that he created himself.
The steadfastness of the resistance...and the steadfastness of the negotiator
Amid this unbalanced equation, a pivotal point emerges that is no less important than military action: the steadfastness of the Palestinian negotiator. Just as the resistance fighter perseveres on the ground, so too must those who manage the political battle, for they alone are capable of translating sacrifices into real political gains that guarantee a halt to the aggression, the opening of the crossings, reconstruction, and the achievement of something resembling a moral and political victory.
The bet now is not only on who can endure longer, but also on who has the patience to confront international blackmail.
Blood defies the sword
The war in Gaza has transcended the boundaries of conventional combat and entered a phase of breaking political will. Israel, despite its military superiority, is losing the initiative for the first time, not thanks to its armies, but to a hungry, displaced, and afflicted people who refuse to accept defeat.
What is happening today is a re-formulation of the historical equation: mere force is no longer capable of achieving victory, but rather will, awareness, and the ability to endure are what govern the future of this confrontation.
conclusion
Ultimately, Trump's statements, which were perceived as an escalation, may be an indirect declaration of Washington's withdrawal from a situation over which it has lost control. Netanyahu, who thought he could swallow Gaza with an iron fist, has found himself stuck in a political and military quagmire from which there is no escape and no support.
The generals have spoken, America has raised its hand, and all that remains for Israel is to face the truth: This is a battle that cannot be won by force alone.
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Trump withdraws from mediation: Netanyahu is cornered and Israel's options are running out.