Opinion: Hamas can’t be left intact in Gaza to prepare more massacres in Israel. 

President Biden is feeling the pressure of the 2024 election from the left of his Democratic Party and Michigan voters, who are pushing him to abandon his support for Israel after the Oct. 7 massacre. He has called the current drive in southern Gaza “over the top” and is urging a “temporary cease-fire” that he would like to end in a more permanent cease-fire (“Rafah Is Crucial to a Hamas Defeat,” Review & Outlook, Feb. 15).

Hamas has been squeezed down to the “red zone” in Gaza, with Rafah as its last stronghold. To pause now in fear of civilian casualties, even though Israel does everything to minimize collateral damage, would be to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

It would be comparable to calling for a cease-fire in World War II after the many casualties of the Battle of the Bulge, leaving Hitler, the Wehrmacht and the Third Reich intact rather than pressing on to Berlin. Hamas and its leader, Yahya Sinwar, are on the run. They are hoping to get bailed out with a cease-fire by the U.S., European Union and United Nations, and then rebuild to cause future massacres and mayhem. Mr. Biden can’t let this happen.

Fred Ehrman

New York

Getting the Israeli hostages back and winning the war against Hamas aren’t two separate issues. Israel must destroy Hamas to bring the hostages home. If Israel doesn’t win the war, murdering, kidnapping and blaming the victim for fighting back will become a very effective war strategy. As you aptly point out, “The question is why the Biden administration is cooperating.”

Judy Stephenson