Six Murdered Hostages Changing the Course of War

For three consecutive days, large-scale demonstrations have taken place in Israel, demanding the government negotiate with Hamas for the release of hostages. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for the first time since the "October 7 War" began, has apologised to the relatives of the murdered hostages. Israel is under pressure from its allies as well, with London threatening to halt the supply of certain types of weapons. The situation is further complicated by the fact that the US presidential campaign is nearing its end, and the current administration is eager for a quick resolution to the crisis, which has been ongoing for 11 months. Meanwhile, Netanyahu is trying to eliminate the pain point that Hamas has turned the Gaza Strip into.

Events accelerated rapidly after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that its soldiers had found six "brutally" murdered hostages in a Hamas tunnel under the city of Rafah. This demonstrative killing occurred "shortly" before the military reached the tunnel, meaning on Sunday, 1 September. These six hostages were among the more than 200 people Hamas militants captured during the terrorist attack on 7 October 2023. On that same day, Sunday, hundreds of thousands of Israelis took to the streets to demand immediate peace from the government. Demonstrations continued, albeit with less intensity, until today.

According to available information, approximately 110 hostages remained in Hamas' hands after some were released in several stages. Unfortunately, many hostages were also killed or died while in the terrorists' captivity, including the six whose bodies were found on Sunday.

Since the terrorist attack on 7 October 2023, Israeli civil society has been actively pressuring the government for the prompt release of the hostages. However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government has aimed not only to free the hostages but also to finally put an end to the attacks on Israeli cities from the Gaza Strip.

The IDF's military operation in Gaza is precisely aimed at achieving this goal – securing the areas surrounding the Strip. Firstly, Israel is trying to maintain control over the so-called Philadelphi Corridor in southern Gaza, as this route is used to smuggle weapons and fighters into Gaza. Secondly, Israeli forces are attempting to destroy weapons depots and rocket workshops in the tunnels that have been built in the Gaza Strip over the past decades. Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, the military is trying to locate and rescue the hostages.

Negotiations Without Hope

In recent months, Israeli delegations have attempted to negotiate with Hamas through intermediaries, including Qatar, the US, and Egypt. However, agreements have not been reached. The reasons are clear: Hamas insists on a ceasefire and on conditions that would allow the terrorists in the Gaza Strip to rebuild their combat capabilities, while Israel demands the release of hostages and the creation of security conditions in the Strip.

As we can see, the situation is entirely asymmetric. Hamas enjoys forced or voluntary support from the population of the Gaza Strip and practically has an open financial account from Iran and other sponsors of terrorism. Israel, as a democratic country, must heed public opinion, which is significantly influenced by terrorist acts, no matter the circumstances. Israel's partners are also democratic countries, where public opinion is under pressure – the pressure of Hamas propaganda. This propaganda completely distorts the real situation and creates the impression that the IDF is attacking civilians rather than terrorists.

For example, the publication Haaretz has circulated a report from an investigation showing that residents of the Gaza Strip face strict prohibitions on disseminating information about the deaths of Hamas military wing fighters. At the same time, any information indicating injuries or deaths among civilians is heavily promoted.

As a result, a distorted picture is created, which agitates the public. An agitated public pushes politicians into making misguided decisions, such as the UK government's decision to suspend 30 licences for the supply of weapons to Israel. Even this unfriendly decision has been harshly criticised by the left-wing pro-Palestinian faction of the Labour Party. They are unhappy that only 30 out of 350 active licences were suspended. They also disapprove of the suspension rather than the complete cancellation of the licences.

Fortunately for the IDF, the UK accounts for less than 1% of Israel's total arms imports. Additionally, it is important to note that the UK continues to support Israel's right to self-defence.

New Escalation

The situation is rapidly escalating. Qatar and Jordan, through their foreign ministries, have harshly criticised Netanyahu's statements regarding the importance of controlling the Philadelphi Corridor and Egypt's role in rearming Hamas. Netanyahu referred to this corridor as a "lifeline" for Hamas' weapons supply. It is important to note that Qatar and Egypt are among the mediators in the negotiations with Hamas, while Jordan played a role in repelling Iran's aerial attack on Israel.

In his televised address at the beginning of the week, Netanyahu also mentioned that the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) might have to take over the distribution of humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip. The military is not particularly enthusiastic about this prospect, as it increases the risks for military personnel. This idea had been discussed earlier but was almost unanimously rejected. However, it now seems likely that the military will have to take on this responsibility. Firstly, there have been reports of humanitarian shipments being intercepted by Hamas' military wing. Secondly, there is a need to dismantle Hamas' military wing and strip it of its influence.

Photo: US Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announces terrorism charges against Hamas leaders. Source: Screenshot from video, US Justice Department

Late in the evening of 3 September, the US Department of Justice indicted Yahya Sinwar and five other high-ranking Hamas leaders, three of whom have been killed. The charges relate to "financing, leading, and overseeing a decade-long campaign of killing American citizens and threatening the national security of the United States," said US Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. He explained the timing of the indictments: "On 7 October (2023), Hamas terrorists, led by these defendants, killed nearly 1,200 people, including over 40 Americans, and kidnapped hundreds of civilians. This weekend, we learned that Hamas had killed six more people they had kidnapped and held hostage for nearly a year, including Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a 23-year-old American from Israel. We are investigating Hersh's murder and every brutal killing of Americans by Hamas as an act of terrorism. Today's charges are just one part of our efforts against every aspect of Hamas operations. These actions will not be the last."

It seems a global hunt for Hamas has been declared. Their sponsors will likely face significant consequences as well.