Tikvah
Editors’ Pick

April 3, 2025

The Dangers of Hostage Deals

Pay attention to Hamas’s own reports on its “achievements.”

In light of the renewed offensive, a Palestinian official told Israeli reporters that Hamas is now willing to soften its terms for a cease-fire deal somewhat. Thus Jerusalem again faces the near-impossible decision of what compromises it is willing to make to free the 24 hostages thought still to be alive in Gaza, and the bodies of the 25 others. Many Israelis already believe the government made a mistake by returning to fighting rather than by accepting whatever deal was available. Hillel Frisch cautions against such an approach:

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