So, just a week after Hamas popped caps into the heads of defenseless hostages, because they would rather they be dead, than lost to them as barter to get murderers out of captivity, we’re going to criticize Israel for not managing the Hamas relationship better. Because, if Israel had used the period of relative inactivity by Hamas to turn the screws on Gaza, all of Israel’s critics would have understood.
I guess no one else sees a disconnect between criticizing Israel/Likud/Netanyahu for trying to live with Hamas pre-Oct 7, and criticizing Israel for not agreeing to a cease fire that will require them to live with Hamas going forward?
The cease fire is a myth. Israel won’t agree to one that allows Hamas to exist- that would be a surrender for Israel and a victory for Hamas. Hamas won’t agree to a cease fire that doesn’t guarantee their survival. Israel plays along to satisfy its (dwindling) western allies. Hamas plays along to satisfy Qatar and Egypt. Neither side will give. I suppose Israel could change governments, and the new one could make a deal and let the old one get tagged for the blame…of trading over a thousand murderers for a couple dozen surviving hostages, which seems like a really awful agreement. (Sinwar is free today because he was released in a similar deal before).
I get that family members of hostages want any deal, no matter how bad, if it gets their loved ones back. It has to be agonizing, knowing that the hostages are being abused, tortured and killed, with no one in Hamas particularly invested in them living. They have to realize, at some level, that all these ceased negotiations are just a show.