Strange things are afoot at the Protection Racket Media Circle K. Or perhaps not so strange, when the impact of incentives are properly understood.
The real surprise is that NBC News reports this new development by crediting Donald Trump — in the headline, no less:
Hamas relented in ceasefire talks under Trump pressure, official says
Trump wanting a deal wasn’t the pressure that created these two key concessions, however. As the Wall Street Journal more accurately reports, it was Trump’s promise of what would happen without a deal by January 20 that provided the proper incentive:
Hamas has yielded to two of Israel’s key demands for a cease-fire deal in Gaza, Arab mediators said, raising hopes of an agreement that could release some hostages within days despite the repeated collapse of previous negotiations.
The militant group told mediators for the first time that it would agree to a deal that would allow Israeli forces to remain in Gaza temporarily when the fighting stops. Hamas also handed over a list of hostages, including U.S. citizens, whom it would release under a cease-fire pact, something it hasn’t done since the first truce in the conflict last year. …
Progress toward a deal comes after an Egyptian delegation visited Israel in late November, and after President-elect Donald Trump said on Truth Social earlier this month that there would be “hell to pay” in the Middle East if the hostages aren’t released before he assumes office in January.
As part of the latest proposal, Israel and Hamas are considering a 60-day cease-fire period that would see the release of up to 30 hostages being held in Gaza, including U.S. citizens, according to the mediators. In exchange, Israel would set free Palestinian prisoners and allow greater humanitarian aid to flow into Gaza, they said.
Emphasis mine. […]
— Read More: hotair.com
