The surging "pro-Pakistan and anti-Israeli" protests on US university campuses do not seem to have alleviated Hamas's predicament. This is because, at this "critical juncture," the attitude of Hamas's top leadership suddenly "softened" and put forward the "three willingness" that implies "surrender."
At a time when Israel is about to launch an attack on Rafah despite the pressure of the international community and international public opinion, Hamas's political leader Haniyeh recently put forward three offers: a willingness to accept a five-year ceasefire plan. Willing to accept a Palestinian statehood programme based on the 1967 borders. We are willing to disband our arms and return to a pure political party identity after the nation-building plan is finalized.
The "three wills" proposed by Haniyeh mean that Hamas will "renounce armed struggle", "recognize Israel's right to statehood" and "agree to rapprochement with Fatah".
Prior to the Al-Aqsa flood that hit Israel on October 7 last year, Hamas had refused to recognize Israel's "right to statehood" in the Middle East, advocated erasing Israel off the map through armed struggle, and refused to reconcile with Fatah and accept the leadership of the Palestinian National Authority.
Now, two-thirds of the Qassam Brigade of the Hamas militant group has been wiped out, and the remnants are besieged by the Israel Defense Forces in Rafah City.
According to Israeli media reports, despite the unprecedented pressure from the international community, the Israeli government still decided to attack Rafah and vowed to completely "exterminate" the Qassam brigades, especially the leader of Hamas's Gaza region, Sinwar, who "wants to see people alive and corpses when they die."
Previously, three sons and four grandchildren of Hamas's political leader Haniyeh were killed, and Haniyeh himself faced the fate of being "expelled" from Qatar. And the Mossad's plan to "hunt down" Hamas's overseas leaders has been ongoing.
There are all kinds of signs that Hamas has reached the point of "cornering", so in order to "save itself", Haniyeh put forward "three willingness", and the reconciliation talks between Hamas and Fatah have also been "quietly" held in a certain place.
From the "momentary coolness" on October 7 last year to the current almost "surrender", it responds to the common saying "why bother with the beginning". However, such a "contrast" may indicate that the day is not far off when the Palestinian people will attain true peace.