Strategic Assessment
The deal between the Israeli government and Hamas, which saw the return of Gilad Shalit to Israel and the mass release of Palestinian security prisoners, raised anew some fundamental issues that inevitably accompany deals of this sort between Israel and terrorist groups. In addition, because at first glance the deal presents as an exclusive Hamas victory, it is important to underscore the price Hamas paid in the exchange and the criticism leveled at it on the intra-Palestinian arena. It is similarly important to point to Israel’s achievements in the negotiations, in addition to the primary achievement of freeing the captured soldier. Given the host of contributing elements, the exchange does not represent a classic zero-sum game, even though many of the gains made by Hamas are the costs paid by Israel, and vice versa.