(DCNF)—The Biden administration is increasing demands for a halt to Israeli military operations in Gaza, but Hamas keeps rejecting ceasefire proposals.
President Joe Biden relayed to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a tense phone conversation on Thursday that an “immediate ceasefire” was “essential” in the Gaza Strip — a call shared by his administration and key voting blocs — and urged Netanyahu to reach a deal “without delay.” Israel has made several ceasefire proposals to Hamas and offered generous terms to reach a deal, but the terrorist group has repeatedly rejected the plans since the war began.
Hamas most recently spurned an Israeli ceasefire deal on Tuesday, but said it would review details further; the terrorist group wants assurances that Israel Defense Forces (IDF) forces will begin to withdraw from Gaza fully, that civilians can return to their homes in the north of the region and that a large number of Palestinian prisoners can be released, according to Reuters and The Washington Post. More broadly, Hamas is seeking a long-term ceasefire as part of a deal arrangement with Israel.
“[Hamas] is interested in reaching an agreement that puts an end to the aggression on our people. Despite that, the Israeli position remains intransigent and it didn’t meet any of the demands of our people and our resistance,” Hamas said in response to the ceasefire proposal, according to Reuters.
“The way Hamas uses it is, to quote Sun Zhu, ‘Never interrupt your enemy while they’re making a mistake,’” Noronha told the DCNF. “Israel isn’t making a mistake so much as it is that Hamas has them exactly where they wanted from day one — which was for Israel to defend itself and then lose international political support — and Hamas then believes it is achieving its political goals.”
“[Hamas’] view is that in the interim, they’re getting what they want. And then at some point in the future, they can leverage that international political outcry to get a more favorable ceasefire,” Noronha told the DCNF.
Since Oct. 7, Hamas has rejected six ceasefire proposals, according to The Foundation for Defense of Democracies(FDD). Two offers were turned down in December and January, as the terrorist group wanted a ceasefire first and Israeli withdrawal before any discussion of releasing hostages, according to the WSJ and i24 News.
The Biden administration was optimistic a deal would be reached in February, but this too was shot down, as Hamas stood by its demand for a long-term ceasefire, according to The New York Times. Israel made two separate proposals for a six-week ceasefire again in March and early April, both of which were also rejected by Hamas, according to FDD.
“We are committed to our demands,” Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said on April 3, according to Reuters.
Hamas has made these demands on several occasions since it attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing nearly 1,200 people, and has rejected deals that aren’t favorable to their terms, which Netanyahu has previously called “delusional.” Netanyahu has taken a hardline stance against a permanent ceasefire until Israel has achieved “total victory” against Hamas, but has been striving for a temporary truce in exchange for the remainder of the hostages.
There is also an open question as to whether Hamas would hold to the terms of a potential ceasefire deal. A temporary ceasefire was reached in November, in which Israel halted fighting in exchange for a large number of hostages, but it ended a week after Hamas reportedly broke the terms of the deal.
Hamas also broke existing ceasefire arrangements with Israel during its surprise attack against the country on Oct. 7. Hamas and its backer Iran have declared that Israel needs to be eradicated completely.
“Israel is a country that has no place on our land,” Hamas official Ghazi Hamad said in November. “We must teach Israel a lesson, and we will do this again and again. The [Oct. 7 attacks are] just the first time, and there will be a second, a third, a fourth.”
The U.S., which has worked with Israel and international negotiators to craft ceasefire proposals since the war began, presented a separate offer to both sides on Sunday, according to The Wall Street Journal. Under this proposal — a six-week truce — Hamas would have to release 40 of the roughly 130 hostages it is holding in Gaza, and Israel would release 900 Palestinian prisoners, 100 of whom are jailed on terrorism charges.
Both sides were still considering the U.S. proposal as of Tuesday, according to the WSJ. “To be honest, we are not optimistic,” an official familiar with the current negotiations told the WSJ.
Biden initially supported Israel’s war efforts, claiming that he would “never fail to have Israel’s back” – his administration rejected calls for a ceasefire because they were concerned it would allow Hamas to rebuild its strength and attack Israel again.
After months of unrest within his own administration and outcry from blocs of the Democratic party, Biden is now insisting on an immediate temporary ceasefire and pressuring Israel to quickly change course on its counteroffensive — or face unspecified consequences.
“If there’s no changes to [Israel’s] policy and their approaches [in Gaza], then there’s going to have to be changes to ours,” White House National Security spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Thursday.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
