Pressure is mounting on the Israeli government to find a way to retrieve over 200 hostages currently held by the Palestinian militant group Hamas as the Israeli Defense Force’s ground offensive into Gaza increases in intensity. Five hostages have now been freed — four released recently by Hamas, and one rescued during the Israeli ground assault.
As the hostages’ captivity stretches on, however, divides are becoming apparent both within Israel and among its partners. Families of the hostages have called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to consider an “all for all” exchange — trading every hostage taken by Hamas for every Palestinian prisoner held by Israel. Israeli officials have said they haven’t completely ruled out the proposal, but that they believe a military offensive is the best strategy right now. Netanyahu reiterated in a speech on Monday that he believes the ongoing “ground action” by Israel will create the possibility of hostage rescue, like the successful retrieval of an IDF soldier this week.
“Hamas will not do it unless they are under pressure,” Netanyahu said.
The impasse follows a brutal attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7, during which it’s estimated to have killed 1,400 civilians in addition to the hostages it captured. After that incursion, the Israeli government retaliated by conducting devastating airstrikes on Gaza, restricting food, water, and fuel to the people who live there, and launching a ground invasion some observers fear could lead to a wider conflict.
The violence in Gaza has killed over 8,000 people, most of whom were civilians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Hamas has also claimed that nearly 50 hostages have been killed in Israeli airstrikes, a figure that hasn’t been independently verified. One German Israeli woman previously believed to have been taken hostage has been confirmed to have been killed, though it is unclear exactly when and how she died.
There’s a lot that’s…
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