Time to redirect pressure on Hamas instead of Israel to save remaining hostages

By Jonathan Feldstein

It has been 459 days since the October 7, 2023, inhuman massacre of 1200 people in Israel by Hamas terrorists, and kidnapping of 251 people, 100 of whom are still being held in captivity in Gaza. 459 days of unimaginable terror, pain, abuse, loss, grief, and suffering, especially for those most directly impacted. All of Israel has been experiencing trauma since, something that I describe as Present Traumatic Stress Disorder. For most of us, Post Trauma is still far off.

Today a step towards a deal may have been taken. A list of 34 hostages to be released as part of a proposed deal with Hamas has been published in the BBC and a Saudi paper, with claims that this is the list Israel has insisted on as the first hostages to be released as part of a “deal” that is in the works. There are claims that Hamas has approved the list.  It is unclear if this is true or accurate, and it is unclear from the list who is dead and who is alive. It is noteworthy that if true, this is the first list of hostages that Hamas from all the hostages in captivity for 458 days that the terror group has ever released. That alone is inhuman.

The list includes 2 children, 10 women, 11 older men, and 11 men aged under 50. It includes Israeli Jews, Arabs, and foreign nationals. The list includes the beautiful redheaded boys Kfir and Ariel Bibas, who were kidnapped together with their mother when Kfir was just 9 months old and Ariel 2.

As I write, I am glued to the TV, following the reports and speculation. At the same time, reports of a terrorist shooting attack that has just happened, leaving three dead and nine wounded, by Palestinian Arab terrorists, are a sobering reminder that all the terrorists’ goals are to kill as many Israelis as possible. Hamas and other terrorists are at best, making a short-term deal that they perceive in their interests, not changing their genocidal antisemitic goals.

Publicity of the list raises hopes for families of the 34, leaving the families of the remaining 66 hostages (and the hostages themselves) added stress, not knowing about their loved ones.

Publicity of the list also raised expectations in Israel, for all of us the release of ALL the hostages has been a national priority.  Releasing these names and trickling out of other details also prepares Israel for the hard part that will be most widely debated, even protested: the release of an undisclosed number of Hamas terrorists. There have been reports of hundreds. These will be hardened terrorists with blood on their hands, guilty of murdering Israelis, and who, no matter the crimes they committed, have been treated in a humanitarian way during their incarceration. Nothing of the sort can be said about the conditions of the hostages.

Recently, Israel released a comprehensive report to the U.N. documenting abuse and actual crimes that were committed by the terrorists against the hostages who were released in December 2023, and others who were rescued since. The abuse has literally been inhuman, and one can only imagine how much worse the 459 days of suffering that the remaining hostages, and their loved ones, have endured all this time.

For those who come home alive, there will be months, or years, of rehabilitation and counseling. In all likelihood, they will never be “normal” again. For those who come home dead, Israel will have to go through the unimaginable process of identifying their remains, the cause of death, and to be sure that their bodies or the coffins in which they may be transported are not booby-trapped. Unthinkable.

It is hard to imagine massive protests within Israel against a deal that brings home these hostages, but there are several domestic considerations that could have an impact.  First, the overall revulsion at negotiating with terrorists at all, coupled with an imperative to maximize pressure against Hamas and other terrorists, especially now.  Second, as soon as there is a parallel list of terrorists to be released, the family members of the victims will feel betrayed, unsafe, and that they and their loved ones’ suffering has been in vain. Third, nothing in Israel is not political, and even within the current coalition there are loud voices against any deal with Hamas. Prime Minister Netanyahu needs to balance doing the right thing to bring home as many hostages as possible, with maintaining the viability of his government.

It is unclear how much resistance he will have from within his own coalition to any deal that releases Palestinian Arab terrorists. It is unclear to what extent if any of those in the opposition who have criticized the Prime Minister and his government robustly for not doing more to get the hostages released, will support the government in doing so despite being opposed to it remaining in power. Such are parliamentary democracies in general, but in Israel these issues are existential, and emotions run deep.

Recently, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken revealed that throughout the war and hostage situation, Hamas was emboldened and backed away from other deals when they perceived that Israel was the subject of serious international diplomatic and other pressure. It is rare for me to agree with Blinken. I could have told him this would be the case, on October 8, 9, or 10, 2023. This is intuitive and should not be treated as a shocking announcement, but a failure in policy. To the extent that the US or anyone else chose to pressure Israel in a way that emboldened the terrorists, they are also culpable in the long, dragged-out hostage crisis. While there are hopeful signs for some, we cannot forget that the crisis is far from over.

All the imbalanced pressure and public threats toward Israel have backfired. Now, extreme pressure needs to be exerted against Hamas and their genocidal supporters. Sign the petition to lend your voice to pressure Hamas, and put pressure on the world bodies that it’s only through pressure on Hamas that ALL the hostages will be released. Pray that soon, ALL the hostages will be released and they and their families and all of Israel can indeed be released.

About the writer:

Jonathan Feldstein ­­­­- President of the US based non-profit Genesis123 Foundation whose mission is to build bridges between Jews and Christians – is a freelance writer whose articles appear in The Jerusalem Post, Times of Israel, Townhall, NorthJersey.com, Algemeiner Jornal, The Jewish Press, major Christian websites and more.

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