With a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas now in place, celebrations have already erupted in Gaza, the West Bank, Tehran, Beirut, and other regions where Hamas garners support. Even in Western cities like New York and London, demonstrations claiming “victory” will take place. Many delusional statements are already being made by pro-Hamas groups around the world. Within Our Lifetime, a pro-Hamas group in New York, says, “Resistance has won….“Imperialism and Zionism has lost, the Democratic party has lost, the future of the Zionist state continues to be eroded,” group leader Nerdeen Kiswani says in a statement. The Palestinian Youth Movement in New York announces a rally in Times Square tomorrow. “Palestinians in Gaza have not only survived, but shown the world that they will continue to rise until liberation,” it says. National Students for Justice in Palestine calls the agreement “a step forward on the long, arduous path to Palestine’s inevitable victory.” “The people of Gaza chose to resist,” NSJP says. But let’s take a closer look at the cost of this so-called “victory”. Hamas has suffered catastrophic losses. When journalists eventually walk the streets of Gaza, they will find entire neighborhoods reduced to rubble. The group’s leadership has been decimated—Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind behind much of their strategy, is dead. Mohammed Deif, their infamous military commander, is also confirmed dead, leaving Hamas without its key architects of terror. Over 30,000 Hamas fighters have been killed, including senior operatives like Ayman Nofal and Jawad Abu Shamala. Tragically, even innocent lives, including many children, have been lost in the chaos. Is this really a victory? For the people of Gaza, life has been shattered. The Strip’s already fragile infrastructure has been obliterated. Hospitals, schools, and homes lie in ruins. Many residents now live in tents, relying on dwindling humanitarian aid. This suffering and devastation—what has it achieved? The release of a few thousand prisoners? History shows that Israel’s security forces and the IDF will likely neutralize many of them within a few years. Meanwhile, Hezbollah’s attempt at solidarity—firing tens of thousands of rockets at Israel—has led to its own collapse. Key leaders have been eliminated, including its secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah, whose death marked a devastating blow to the group’s operations. Lebanon’s already crumbling infrastructure has suffered from Israeli retaliatory strikes, leaving Hezbollah weakened and its power base in disarray. Iran, the chief backer of both Hamas and Hezbollah, is struggling under mounting internal protests, international sanctions, and economic instability. Its resources are stretched thin, with its influence in Syria under threat as Israel continues to target Iranian proxies and infrastructure there. The Assad regime, already a shadow of its former self, has lost even more ground amid these events. Hamas’ actions have brought nothing but devastation to Gaza, ruin to its allies, and suffering to its people. The region is in chaos, the hands of progress turned back decades, if not a century. Calling this a “victory” is not just misleading—it’s a tragic disservice to those who continue to bear the brunt of this senseless conflict. Hamas and its supporters must ask themselves: What was gained? At what cost? And for what future? (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)