Negotiations over the hostages held by Hamas are based on a proposal to release at least 50 women and children, but there is no certainty until the end. The Israeli War Cabinet discussed this again in a meeting last night. And one of the biggest unknowns, Haaretz writes today, is Yahia Sinwar, the head of Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
When the Israeli army entered Gaza’s Shifa hospital last week, Sinwar cut off contact with Qatari mediators for several days but apparently resumed it. Both Israelis and Americans believe he will have the final say on the Palestinian side, rather than the Hamas leadership abroad. The Israelis, Haaretz writes, believe that Sinwar is still “delighted” by the success of the October 7 massacre and for this reason continues to maintain a very tough negotiating position and ignores the suffering of the Gaza population.
But it is precisely because of Sinwar, which is seen as less rational than Lebanon’s Hezbollah, that some argue that Israel should seize every opportunity for an agreement to free as many people as quickly as possible. In fact, there is always the risk that the war will intensify and Sinwar will break off all negotiations. Others, such as Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Chief of Staff Herzl Halevi, believe that maintaining military pressure on Hamas also helps increase the chances of a hostage deal.