Yesterday, we asked if there might be another strategic pause in the fighting in Gaza on the way. I was a bit dubious, but it’s looking increasingly likely this morning. There hasn’t been an “official” announcement yet, but the Times of Israel reports that there hasn’t been a single rocket attack in either direction for nearly 24 hours. There are a few possible explanations for that since we’ve seen lulls in the past, but some Hamas leaders are reportedly in Egypt holding discussions with Israeli representatives. What’s unclear at this point is whether this would simply be another hostage and prisoner swap or if it is perhaps possible that Hamas has seen the writing on the wall and is considering a complete surrender.

Skies over Israel have been unusually calm, without a single rocket attack over the last 17.5 hours, a rare respite from the near-constant stream of sirens triggered by rocket and drone launches from Gaza and Lebanon.

The period of calm comes as Hamas’s leaders are in Egypt for talks revolving around a possible pause in the fighting and the release of hostages held by terror groups in the enclave.

Large fusillades of rockets which were fired regularly during the war’s early weeks have faded as Gazan terrorists have seemingly run low on ammunition and places to fire from as the Israeli military presses its ground offensive in the Strip, squeezing Hamas and its allies. Yesterday, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said mop-up operations were taking place in northern Gaza, indicating the army had essentially conquered half of the enclave.

In contrast to this report, CNN is reporting this morning that Hamas has released another statement saying that there will be no talk of a hostage release until the IDF military operations cease. But there’s clearly something going on in the background and the lack of rocket exchanges might qualify as a pause in military operations.

Rather than a sign of a possible resolution to the hostilities, it’s also being suggested that Hamas may simply be running out of rockets and ammunition. Fresh supplies from Iran are having a difficult time making it into the country these days for obvious reasons. Hamas’ tunnels are being systematically flooded and their fighters are dying or being captured on a daily basis. They may just be running out of missiles and the people to craft and fire them. That would be welcome news indeed, but they’ve been planning for this for a very long time so we probably shouldn’t count on that.

If this is simply another truce as we saw in the early weeks of the war it would have to involve the release of more hostages. That’s really all Hamas has to offer. Israel continues to insist that the release of the kidnapped victims is their first priority, but the obliteration of Hamas remains the ultimate goal. There are still eight Americans missing, so hopefully the White House is keeping in touch with Netanyahu and reminding him that our people need to be prioritized as well.

The only other option (and the least likely one in my opinion) is that Hamas could be discussing terms for a total surrender. Israel shouldn’t even consider such an offer unless it involved the immediate release of all remaining hostages, the bodies of the dead, and a formal surrender of all arms and military equipment by Hamas. Its fighters would have to turn themselves over knowing that they would be heading for prison, but at least some of them might find that preferable to martyrdom.

It’s an almost surreal idea to consider. The fighting there has been going on for so long now that it’s difficult to conceive of Gaza without Hamas and terrorist activity. The silence would almost be deafening, interrupted only by the coming and going of relief trucks full of aid and the restoration of power and basic resources. Could there really be any such thing as “normal” life in the Gaza Strip with Hamas out of the way?

Perhaps I’m being overly pessimistic. The Palestinians in Gaza who are not directly working and fighting for Hamas must be weary of this war by now and laden with grief for all of the fallen. If a majority of them would be willing to put their differences aside and abandon their dreams of destroying Israel, it’s conceivable that some sense of normalcy could set in. If they realize and accept that Hamas led them down a terrible path into a fruitless war, they might grasp at the chance for a new society and the reality of living alongside Israel. Perhaps that’s a foolish hope, but it would certainly be the best outcome we might wish for.