No one in Israel can guarantee that the captives will hold out for so long. The opposite is true: The way things are going suggests that the closer the IDF gets to the captives, the greater the danger to their lives will become.
The attempt before the war to rehabilitate relations between Israel and Turkey stemmed from a clear Turkish interest. Erdogan wants to pave the way to American hearts under Democratic rule – especially since President Biden won the presidency – and is mainly interested in trade and military trade relations with the United States. The way there as Erdogan saw it: putting some warmth back into Turkey’s relations with Israel.
The defense presented numerous and extensive actions undertaken by Israel to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza, but wisely put this in its correct context, stating that the current situation is the clear outcome of Hamas’ actions and thus it is the terrorist organization that has condemned the Gaza Strip residents to this plight.
It is likely that Monday’s assassination, which Iran attributes to Israel, was meant to send Tehran the message that Israel’s patience is running out.
"At the end of January, we will review the situation," an Israeli source tells Israel Hayom. "Before then, the fighting will not stop."
Experts in negotiations believe that Hamas now needs to stew in its own juices, see that Israel is determined, that we are also willing to go all the way. But Israel is negotiating with the devil, and we need to bring back everyone possible whenever possible, with the thought that tomorrow such a prospect might no longer be possible.
The ground maneuver may have pushed Hamas into a corner and advanced the ceasefire in battle, but there is no basis for the claim that this could have culminated with the release of the captives. Since the conflict began, Israel has successfully reached two bodies of captives and only one live captive (Ori Megidish), despite considerable efforts invested in the matter.
The US administration continues to view the Palestinian Authority as the lesser of two evils compared to Hamas. This shows that they haven't learned the lesson of the misconception that led to Oct. 7, the failed deterrence, and the self-delusion that you can buy off Hamas.
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.
Anybody paying attention to him, both in his open announcements to the media and in closed briefings, fully understands that he recognizes that he is responsible. When he was presented with what former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said about responsibility, his reply was, “Nothing has changed.”