Israeli society is divided over how to give priority to the country’s two main war aims—destroying Hamas and freeing 130 hostages, including over 30 dead hostages, abducted almost six months ago. While Israel is seeking wartime unity, many see the goals as currently irreconcilable, since most hostages—hidden deep in tunnels—can’t be freed by force and Hamas is demanding that Israel allow the militant group to survive in order to release them.
“The two aims are clashing with each other, and both can’t happen,” said Mitchell Barak, a political analyst at Jerusalem-based Keevoon Global Research. “There is no side that will be happy here.”
The divisions have heightened as Israel negotiates with Hamas, via the U.S., Egypt and Qatar, over a cease-fire that could last six weeks and see the release of 40 Israeli hostages. These hostages would be women, including female soldiers, children, the elderly and the sick. Hamas is demanding Israel let go thousands of Palestinian prisoners, some seen as deadly terrorists in Israel. Hamas also wants Israel to agree to concessions that could preserve the group’s control over Gaza even after the U.S.-designated terror group planned and executed the worst attack in Israel’s history.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said deciding between freeing hostages and defeating Hamas isn’t a binary choice but part of the same goal—winning the war. But threading the needle between both camps is both a matter of political survival and a nearly impos…
Read more