Finally! Pride and relief after weeks of frustration. The rescue of the hostages reflects the ability of the IDF, Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet), National Counter-Terrorism Unit, and the Military Intelligence Directorate. Fine intelligence, operational cunning, and courage—well done.
Four insights:
1. After much debate about the usefulness of operational pressure, we see that it has made a contribution. Although we won’t be able to rescue everyone in this way, surely the claim that reducing operational pressure will be more beneficial should be reconsidered.
2. Hamas experienced a significant failure. Perhaps, for the first time, the conclusion that time is working in Hamas’s favor is being undermined. But without a combination of operational pressure and negotiations on the hostage deal, the failure of Hamas won’t translate into a compromise in its positions.
3. Proportions—let’s not go from a scandal to a festival. The road is still long, and the strategic challenges haven’t been reduced (international pressure, the north is abandoned, Hamas is restoring its capabilities in the absence of any competition in the field of civilian governance over the Strip, and there are still 120 hostages remaining in Gaza).
4. Don’t rush and draw conclusions about the conditions of the captivity of our hostages. None of us know what happened to them and we should not deal with it now. Let’s let them recover in peace, so that they will be ready to tell what happened to them.
Finally! Pride and relief after weeks of frustration. The rescue of the hostages reflects the ability of the IDF, Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet), National Counter-Terrorism Unit, and the Military Intelligence Directorate. Fine intelligence, operational cunning, and courage—well done.
Four insights:
1. After much debate about the usefulness of operational pressure, we see that it has made a contribution. Although we won’t be able to rescue everyone in this way, surely the claim that reducing operational pressure will be more beneficial should be reconsidered.
2. Hamas experienced a significant failure. Perhaps, for the first time, the conclusion that time is working in Hamas’s favor is being undermined. But without a combination of operational pressure and negotiations on the hostage deal, the failure of Hamas won’t translate into a compromise in its positions.
3. Proportions—let’s not go from a scandal to a festival. The road is still long, and the strategic challenges haven’t been reduced (international pressure, the north is abandoned, Hamas is restoring its capabilities in the absence of any competition in the field of civilian governance over the Strip, and there are still 120 hostages remaining in Gaza).
4. Don’t rush and draw conclusions about the conditions of the captivity of our hostages. None of us know what happened to them and we should not deal with it now. Let’s let them recover in peace, so that they will be ready to tell what happened to them.