LARRY KUDLOW: Hamas wants to stop the Israeli advance and hide behind human-shield hostages

Yesterday we talked about how the enemy, namely Hamas, is setting the terms of the hostage pause and, to some extent, the entire war now. This should not have happened. The principal reason Hamas wants to stop the Israeli advance and hide behind human-shield hostages is precisely because Israel was pounding them, successfully using tremendous force in their mission to annihilate Hamas, but now the question is: will Israel be allowed to finish the job? 

Now, I get it and, in fact, I sincerely hope that finishing the job and other matters of war is completely left up to the IDF, but today, more disturbing opinions are entering into the entire discussion. 

Another hat-tip to the Wall Street Journal for criticizing Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut. He’s the chairman of the Foreign Relations subcommittee on the Middle East and they nailed him for saying, "I think you can defeat Hamas without this level of civilian casualty," which he calls "unacceptable." 

Well, hold on a second. Was October 7 unacceptable? Just asking! Does Mr. Murphy envision a war without casualties? Israel has hit more than 15,000 targets, reportedly and according to Hamas, roughly 14,000 have died. 

Now, that’s a Hamas number, so take it for whatever it’s worth, and it’s undoubtedly exaggerated, and it doesn't distinguish between terrorists and Palestine civilians, but it does show the efficiency with which the IDF is conducting this war. Of course, from the left, Bernie Sanders is piling on to Israel. It seems like senators are telling the IDF how to fight Hamas. That’s called micromanagement. I would also call it insanity. 

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Then, at the top of the Wall Street Journal, comes this news story: "Negotiators Press for Long-Term Israel-Hamas Truce." In other words, no Israel offensive in Southern Gaza to wipe out Hamas. No annihilation strategy. 

Somehow, negotiators from Qatar and Egypt think we can have a permanent cease-fire, a long-run truce, which means – think about this – Hamas will be right back at it, murdering innocent Israeli grandmothers, wives, husbands, children. They’ll be right back at it once again. 

You know it folks, and I know it. Because they are terrorists, and they do not abide by the laws of humanity, much less something called international law. Now, I don’t know if this article has any credibility. It’s at the top of the Wall Street Journal. It’s allegedly a news story and although it does not say the U.S. has signed off on this crazy idea like a permanent truce -- it does suggest that American negotiators are sitting around the table, including Mr. Burns from the Central Intelligence Agency, and also Israelis are sitting around the table.

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So, I am hoping calmer heads will prevail. I am hoping this is a little premature, and that nothing like a truce is going to happen, and that Israel will be soon back in the field if they ever left it, going after the rest of Hamas wherever they are, Southern Gaza or wherever, to do the job of annihilation so once and for all Israel can solve this problem. 

Meanwhile, as though they have got nothing better to do, the White House, President Biden – none of them ever talk about the Americans who are still hostages and then finally Iran continues to go on its merry way as the puppeteer and the paymaster. Nothing is done there. It is appeasement, not deterrence. I hope that the IDF does what Israel must do and do not listen to any of these nonsensical noises. 

This article is adapted from Larry Kudlow’s opening commentary on the November 28, 2023, edition of "Kudlow."