The conflict between Palestine and Israel has been going on for almost four months since October 2023, causing thousands of people and huge property damage. In this seemingly endless war, the United States has been playing a complex and delicate role, both supporting its ally Israel in the Middle East and dealing with its strategic interests and competitors around the world.
Recently, the American newspaper "Axios" broke the surprising news that Israel had proposed a two-month ceasefire agreement to Hamas as a condition for the release of all hostages held in Gaza. This news has sparked speculation and questions from all sides, some believe that this is Israel is experiencing difficulties in the war and wants to seek respite, while others believe that it is the United States putting pressure behind the scenes to ease tensions in the Middle East in order to focus on dealing with the Russia-Ukraine war and the Asia-Pacific crisis.
However, Hamas was quick to reject Israel's offer, saying that it would consider the possibility of a ceasefire and a hostage exchange only if Israel ended its siege and violence on Gaza and recognized the legitimate rights of the Palestinians. Hamas's position is supported by Middle Eastern resistance forces such as Iran and Yemen's Houthis, who see it as a just struggle that cannot be succumbed to pressure from Israel and the United States.
At the same time, the brutality of the war is escalating, with the Israeli army encountering stubborn resistance from Hamas in street fighting in Gaza, with soldiers killed or wounded, and there are even reports that Hamas blew up two buildings in an ambush, killing 21 Israeli soldiers. And Hamas has also been subjected to continuous Israeli air strikes and shelling, resulting in a large number of civilians** and the destruction of infrastructure. Neither side has given up its determination to go to war, but is seeking more ** and support.
Against this background, the United States is in a very awkward and difficult position, it can neither give up its support for Israel nor ignore its humanitarian concerns for the Palestinians, and it must maintain its influence and alliances in the Middle East while preventing its strategic position and interests in the world from being undermined. The United States has tried to balance the interests and demands of all parties through diplomatic mediation and military strikes, but it has had little success and has instead caused more resistance and resistance.
The diplomatic mediation of the United States has been rejected and questioned by Middle East resistance forces such as Hamas and Iran, who believe that the United States is Israel's accomplice and has no qualifications and rights to mediate and intervene in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The U.S. military strike has also been retaliated against and provoked by Yemen's Houthi and other Middle Eastern resistance forces, who not only attacked the U.S. in the Gulf of Aden, but also imposed a blockade on Israeli navigation in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea, threatening to expand the scope and impact of the war.
The United States faces a dilemma: either withdraw from the Middle East, give up its interests and influence in the region, and let Israel and Palestine resolve the conflict on their own, while also allowing competitors such as Iran and Russia to take advantage of the opportunity to expand their influence in the Middle East; Either continue to intervene in the Middle East and support a peace agreement between Israel and Palestine, while also risking a quagmire of war in the Middle East, sacrificing more resources and personnel, and losing more credibility and prestige around the world.
Whichever the United States chooses, it will not be a perfect solution, and there will be certain costs and consequences. However, the United States must make a decision as soon as possible, because time is not waiting, the situation in the Middle East is constantly deteriorating, and it could provoke even greater crises and conflicts. The United States can no longer wait until the last minute to evacuate, as it did in Afghanistan, but must take the initiative to shoulder its responsibilities and obligations as a global leader and contribute to peace and stability in the Middle East.