It is highly likely that Yehudit Weiss will not be the last captive whose body the IDF recovered during the operation in Gaza. Israel is certain that Hamas abducted bodies on October 7th for the purpose of conducting negotiations, and it is possible that some of the captives that survived have already succumbed to their wounds.
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The precise scans conducted by the IDF in Gaza hospitals, particularly in Shifa Hospital, are part of the rescue and recovery effort: Soldiers are searching for signs that captives were present and possibly treated there, with the hope that this would later lead to their location. Along with gathering information and deepening control over the city of Gaza, the forces have managed to find items and additional indications for the captives, and this could eventually allow Israel to reach them, or at least their bodies.
The resources dedicated to this issue go beyond what is known to the public. Israel's national security agencies are deeply invested in them: in operations, intelligence, in tapping on any lead abroad that could lead to a breakthrough, no matter how small. On the other hand, Hamas is doing everything to hinder the process: obscuring and tampering with evidence, smuggling captives to the southern Strip, seizing any opportunity to make life difficult for the families of the captives and Israelis by and large.
In recent days, the possibility of a limited deal has been on the table, involving the release of captives in exchange for a ceasefire. Initially, the talk was about releasing 100 captives, then the number dropped to 80, and then on Thursday, there were discussions about 50. However, Hamas increased the number of days for the ceasefire it demands to five and set an additional condition: the release in installments, allowing them to control the process, renew it, and stop it at will to maximize gains.
Video: Israel exposes Hamas network beneath and next to Gaza's hospitals / Credit: Reuters
As a result, Israel is facing a dilemma. On the one hand, the potential release of captives, even a few, is part of the moral imperative that saving one life is like saving the entire world. On the other hand, there is a clear understanding that Hamas is taking advantage of Israel's vulnerability for broader purposes, thereby hoping to avert the expansion of the Israeli military operation in the strip. During the prolonged ceasefire, Hamas can not only regroup, gather forces, and rearm but also move forces (and captives) to positions where they can challenge the IDF again and prepare the means and tunnels that have been damaged. The IDF will be static and vulnerable to attacks (Hadar Goldin was killed, and his body was captured during a ceasefire during Operation Protective Edge), and international pressures may make it difficult for Israel to return and fight as it did in recent weeks.
This is not a simple leadership dilemma, considering the hundreds of families and public pressure pushing for a resolution to the captive issue. Both decisions are equally reasonable – Israel can agree to the proposed deal or to reject it. Each scenario has wide-ranging implications.
Since Israel has defined the central goal of the operation as weakening Hamas's rule and dealing a severe blow to its military capabilities, it must ask itself if it can advance towards that goal while concluding a deal at this point – especially if this is only a partial deal, leaving Hamas with close to 200 captives that it can continue to use to neutralize the Israeli operation.
Israel has engaged in deals with the devil in the past, including with Hamas. But this time, after the atrocities of Oct. 7, it vowed to eliminate it, knowing that if it showed weakness, Hamas would once again strike.
It must find a way to persist in this goal and seek solutions to the captive issue. Even if it is forced to pause momentarily, it must not take its eyes off the ultimate and justifiable goal of the war.
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