Yes indeed, that’s true. The difference is that now, they don’t even want to be part of a future “unity government” like in 2014. The only thing they demand now is that the government body consist of Palestinians. Or in other words: Palestinian self-determination.

The first offer from Hamas to let go all the hostages to Israel was on the 09.10.2023. The Israeli government rejected it then and has rejected it ever since: https://www.timesofisrael.com/no-doubt-netanyahu-preventing-hostage-deal-charges-ex-spokesman-of-families-forum/

In fact, Hamas has stated that they are not interested in any future government in Gaza about a year ago and instead wanted a Palestinian technocratic body to take over. You know what happened? Israel murdered the diplomatic leadership of Hamas in November 2024. And then Israel and the US came out and said, that they had no one to negotiate with. And just a few weeks ago, they tried the same.

In negotiations early this year with Witkoff and others, Hamas even put this in writing - again with the offer of releasing all the hostages - contingent on a stop of Israeli aggression, the continuation of humanitarian aid and the Israeli troops to withdraw from the strip. That treaty was then changed by the US and Israel in May this year before it was rejected.

This has been modus operandi from the beginning from the US and Israel. After they had a deal, change it, make it look as if Hamas is rejecting the deal and capitalize on it. In fact, if you go back in history, you’ll find the same strategy over and over again, to make it look like “Palestinians rejected peace”.

And last but not least: You are telling people to lay down their weapons, that have been under a brutal siege for over two years, while ignoring the side that put in place the siege and genocidal aggression.

That is not entirely true. Italy and Japan for example have just a few weeks ago said, that they are thinking of recognition of a Palestinian state making it contingent on several changes of Hamas.

But this is neither here or there. If among a whole people, the only organization that is invited does represent only a minority of the people, which can be seen from their low approval, then this meeting is a farce. In the case of the PA, if you read the linked article, they have actively focused on cracking down on anti-occupation groups in Jenin, while Israel has forced around 40000 Palestinians out of their homes during ‘Operation Iron Wall’ early this year. Instead of opposing, they colluded. This is not the Palestinian people deciding their own fate, but colonial powers imposing their will on them.

Leaders from all over the world are making a show of it in honor of the reality-TV-star-US-president. They only invite one Palestinian representative (Abbas) from the PA to their talks. The same PA that controls only parts of the West-Bank and is highly unpopular with the Palestinian populace because they are seen as collaborators with the occupation. The “peace” “deal” came about without involvement of Palestinians. Just like 100 years ago, the fate of Palestine is being decided by colonial powers.

All the while, militant groups (if they were fighting against Israel they would be rightfully called terrorists) are continuing Israels’s tradition of killing journalists in the strip and are fighting Hamas for control.

Now we don’t know which groups these are, but back in June Netanyahu has admitted to backing militant groups in Gaza. Occam’s Razor would imply, that these would be among them.

It’s good that the bombings have stopped, that humanitarian aid has started to reach a population under a medieval-style siege for so long, offering a bit of - even if incomplete - respite. But I fear for the population once the show in Cairo is over.

EDIT: And no one is looking at the horror that is going on in the West-Bank. Nor is anyone including any points in a “deal”.

That particular Venezuelan woman was one of the leaders of the coup attempt against Chavez in the early 2000s and has been an opposition leader ever since. What makes this complicated is that she welcomed sanctions and coup attempts by the US, including during Trump’s first term and she even pleaded to Netanyahu to liberate Venezuela with military force (wasn’t able to find a better source since search results are very award focused right now).

She has close ties to Israel’s Likud party, and wants to open the Venezuelan embassy in Jerusalem after Chavez ended diplomatic relations after their assault on Gaza in 2009 and likened Venezuela’s struggle to the one of Israel.

From the will of Alfred Nobel outlining who is to receive the prize:

and one part to the person who has done the most or best to advance fellowship among nations, the abolition or reduction of standing armies, and the establishment and promotion of peace congresses.

I’m wondering how the committee is squaring this requirement with her calling for “the use of power” by external forces.

Oh! So is that what bloatware is?