On Wednesday, Hamas and Fatah signed on to what is called the prisoner’s document, which included an “implicit” recognition of Israel’s right to exist. Yet no more than two days earlier did militants linked to the former kidnap a soldier serving in the Israeli Defense Forces, Corporal Gilad Shalit. The result? All out war on the Hamas government.

In the past few days alone, Israel has launched a major incursion into the Gaza Strip, performing airstrikes and raids on militant targets. Several dozens Hamas MPs have been arrested and will stand trial. Missiles were fired at the Interior Ministry. Furthermore, it has threatened to assassinated Hamas Prime Minister Haniyeh should Corporal Shalit not return to his home safely. Missiles were then fired at his office. Hamas cabinet ministers — or those that are left — have to meet in safe houses and communicate in secret for fear of being killed.

It is not the prisoner’s document and its “implicit” recognition that will make Hamas and the Palestinians live peacefully alongside Israel. It is the knowledge that, should they even so much as purposely kidnap one soldier, they will face total annihilation.

For all that they are now undergoing in Gaza, only Hamas can be blamed. It is the elected government of the Palestinian people, and as such, it has continually made acts of aggression against another state. If the Palestinian Authority wants to be considerd a legitimate source of sovereignty in the territories, whether ruled by Hamas or Fatah, it cannot make reckless raids on Israeli outposts. There can be no more intifadas, and there can be no more bombings. After so many years, it is evident that Israel has had enough. The only choice left is peace.

Because, in realistic terms, Israel does not have to let the Palestinians have anything. It does not even have to allow the Hamas prime minister to live. Heading a government has certain responsibilities, and if you are going to simply refuse to negotiate and recognize another, more powerful state, then chances are your days are numbered.

Hamas’ days are numbered even if Israel doesn’t completely obliterate its leadership. Despite its refusal to recognize and negotiate with Israel, it has only proven that it cannot collect taxes, depends completely on foreign aid, cannot defend itself, and by persisting in doing so has shown that it puts its own ideology over the personal interests of the Palestinian people. Due to this, the most interesting aspect is not if Hamas will be destroyed one day, but how. If Israel does not clean them up, then the Palestinian people will eventually have to. When that day comes, then they’ll deserve a better government than the one they have.