Hamas Turns Hostage Releases Into Humiliating Spectacle for Israel
Israel’s government made a major concessions to Hamas over the weekend, releasing 55 Palestinian prisoners and sending a pair of Israeli army officers to visit the Gaza Strip to negotiate for the release of two Israeli hostages held by the terrorist group.
But instead of using the opportunities to promote the welfare of its hostages or foster goodwill with its enemies, Hamas chose to exploit the situation to embarrass and degrade Israel.
When the Israeli army officers arrived at the Gaza-Egypt border on Sunday, they were met by a group of Hamas militants wielding guns and machetes. The militants surrounded the officers, humiliating them by patting them down and searching them in front of cameras.
When the officers began to make their way to a meeting with a Hamas official, they were mobbed by reporters and photographers from Gaza’s militant-controlled media, who bombarded them with shouting and camera-clicking. “What are you doing here?!” one shouted. “Who are you spying for?!” another yelled.
The officers tried to maintain a sense of composure, but it was clear they were taken aback by the hostile and intimidating atmosphere.
The spectacle of the Israeli officials being humiliated in this manner was a stunning rebuke to Israel’s diplomatic efforts. Rather than fostering good will or securing the release of the hostages, Hamas used the situation to lash out at Israel and undermine its credibility.
Hamas’s goal, of course, is to embarrass and demoralize the Israeli government. And in that sense, they were wildly successful. The televised spectacle of Israel’s officials being roughed up and humiliated by Hamas’s goons sent a powerful message to the government in Jerusalem: Israel is under the gun of a ruthless terrorist organization that is not afraid to use violence to get what it wants.
This latest episode raises serious questions about the wisdom of Israel’s concession-making strategy vis-a-vis Hamas. Is this really the most effective way to secure the release of its hostages and promote a lasting peace with its enemies?
Or is this just a tired, failed formula that only rewards Hamas’s terrorism and aggression while humiliating Israel?