The most recent 72-hour ceasefire which went into effect at midnight Monday and expired at midnight on Thursday was violated just hours before the end when at least 5 rockets were fired into Israel.  The IDF responded by striking launch sites in Gaza.  Hamas has reportedly denied responsibility for those rockets.

Despite the skirmish, the two sides have agreed to a new 5-day truce.  Meanwhile, in efforts to continue to protect its citizens, the IDF has mobilized forces along the Gaza border and has deployed additional Iron Dome batteries.

But what about the ongoing negotiations?  Is there hope in a future peace?  The Hamas Charter seems to leave little room for hope.  Article 13 of the Hamas Charter begins this way:

[Peace] initiatives, the so-called peaceful solutions, and the international conferences to resolve the Palestinian problem, are all contrary to the beliefs of the Islamic Resistance Movement.

Peace initiatives seem to be violations of their charter.  In addition, Article 8 states this:

Allah is its goal, the Prophet its model, the Qur’an its Constitution, Jihad its path and death for the case of Allah its most sublime belief.

Thus, the question is: does the Qur’an teach peace?  For more on that, please see Is Islam a Religion of Peace?  

In addition, it is wise for negotiators to understand the Muslim principle of taqiyya.  The word means “concealing, precaution, guarding,” and as been described like this on Islam Watch:

Falsehoods told to prevent the denigration of Islam, to protect oneself, or to promote the cause of Islam are sanctioned in the Qur’an and Sunna, including lying under oath in testimony before a court, deceiving by making distorted statements to the media such as the claim that Islam is a “religion of peace”. A Muslim is even permitted to deny or denounce his faith if, in so doing, he protects or furthers the interests of Islam, so long as he remains faithful to Islam in his heart. 

Hamas’s Charter claims to “draw its guidelines from Islam.”  If so, and if Islam sanctions lying in order to protect one’s interest, then is negotiating with Hamas a worthwhile endeavour?  Only if those negotiating with them are prepared to deal with deception.  

Friends, this is not a “people” problem.  The Palestinian people in Gaza are not the problem.  The problem is evil that is perpetuated by Islam.  Hamas as an organization is the purveyor of that evil.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.  ~Ephesians 6:12

The battle is on, dear friends!  We must be ready and we must stand firm, as evil is not confined to the Middle East, and the Middle East is not the final destination.  The objective of Islam is to take over the world!  Be active in battle by praying against the rulers, powers, world forces of darkness and spiritual forces of wickedness.  Greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world!