Columnist Henry Ergas says the choice for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict would allow Hamas to regroup and prepare for its next objectives. “A ceasefire would essentially allow Hamas to get off scot-free,” Mr Ergas told Sky News host Sharri Markson. “It’s absurd of a proposal fundamentally as it would have been for the allies to accept a ceasefire in the face of the Nazis and Japanese. “What is at stake in Gaza is whether if Gaza will remain under the control of a group whose whole purpose is to destroy the state of Israel and its people or will be free of that group and hence have a chance for a better and more prosperous future.” On October 7 Israel declared war on Hamas after the Palestinian militant group fired thousands of rockets as far north as Tel Aviv.