A deal between Israel and Hamas to end the war and release the hostages held by the terror organization is nowhere in sight, Israeli officials estimate.
“The truth must be told – there will be no deal now. Not a small one, not a big one, not a crumb. The big story is whether the time has come to rescue the remaining hostages and end the war in Gaza,” sources familiar with the issue told Ynet News on Monday. “This is all the talk, and this is what is happening behind the scenes. There will be no deal without a decision to end the war in Gaza. We need to recognize the facts.”
Israel estimates that only 51 of the 101 Israeli captives currently held by the Hamas terror organization in the Gaza Strip are alive, Israel Hayom reported on Sunday.
Considering the heavy fighting in Gaza and the poor conditions in which the abductees have been held for more than a year, the real number of living hostages may be even smaller.
State Department Spokesperson Mattew Miller stated on Monday that the Biden Administration is “trying to bring about an end to the war that stops the fighting in northern Gaza, that stops the fighting elsewhere in Gaza, that brings the hostages home, and ultimately lets Palestinians start to rebuild their lives, rebuild their communities.”
However, the IDF does not appear to be slowing down its counterterrorism offensive in the Gaza Strip. It is maneuvering in Jabaliya in northern Gaza, where it killed over 900 terrorists and captured about 700, including the commander of the Nuchba unit in the city.
Writing for Walla News, Dr. Amir Buhbut noted that the IDF estimates that the complete submission of Jabaliya, in addition to its being a symbol, will accelerate the disintegration of Hamas in the northern Strip, and serve as a severe morale blow. The maneuvering forces have managed to drive out over 50,000 residents from the city, sending them southward.
Israel has repeatedly vowed to bring back all the hostages, either through military operations or negotiations with Hamas. After multiple recent reports of possible emerging deals brokered by the US, Qatar, or Egypt, it appears that Hamas is steadfast in its demand for full Israeli surrender and withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in return for any captive release deal, a demand Israel says it cannot accept as it would stop its counterterrorism campaign in the Strip and enable Hamas to regroup and threaten the Jewish State’s exist again.
