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The True Cost of the Hostage Deal

(Jerusalem Post) Herb Keinon - Israel's agreement to the emerging hostage deal in exchange for thousands of Palestinian security prisoners, including convicted terrorist murderers, marks a triumph of the heart over the head. Saving the lives of the hostages is seen as an expression of the solidarity and mutual responsibility that has always been a cornerstone of Israeli society. Those opposed to the deal are judging the agreement based on whether it is good in the long term. They argue that the deal will incentivize hostage-taking, and that releasing thousands of Hamas terrorists will inevitably lead to more terrorism. In 2011, Israel released 1,027 security prisoners, including Yahya Sinwar, the architect of the Oct. 7 attack, for Gilad Shalit. How many Israeli lives were lost as a result of that deal? The final concern is that Hamas still retains control of Gaza's civilian infrastructure and is left in place under the agreement. It is only a matter of time before it regroups and rearms. The joy of seeing hostages reunited with their families will be profound, but the true cost of that moment may only be fully reckoned many years from now.
2025-01-16 00:00:00
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