November 11, 2024 - 11:50am
News that Qatar has suspended its role as a mediator between Israel and Hamas has come as a devastating blow to the families of the more than 100 Israeli hostages still believed to be in Gaza. Given that neither Israel nor the United States communicates with Hamas directly, they now have no avenue to negotiate with the terrorist group.
In Israel, many have reacted to the news with despair, arguing that returning the hostages ceased to be a priority for the government some time ago. In the public’s eyes, this development now gives Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu an excuse to continue the war without the pretence of negotiating a ceasefire and hostage-return deal.
As the Left-wing journalist Zvi Barel commented yesterday, Qatar’s withdrawal is highly convenient for Netanyahu, since it gives him an “exemption” from having to continue the negotiations, without harming him politically.
Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan was taken on 7 October and who has since become one of the most prominent campaigners for a ceasefire deal, responded to the news with renewed calls for an immediate end to the war. “There is nothing left to do in Gaza, the entire security establishment says this. But Netanyahu refuses for criminal political reasons,” she said online. “How is it that since the assassination of Sinwar, no Israeli proposal has been made? How, instead of taking advantage of the momentum, did we make the Qataris withdraw from the mediation?”
Yet the political risks to the government over the continued failure to return the hostages are declining. Among many Israelis, there is a creeping acceptance that they are not going to be returned. There are still regular street protests, but their energy and momentum are in decline.
This is surprising given the 1000-prisoner swap that enabled the return of kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit in 2011, and the sentiments of the days immediately after 7 October. Few then would have said that Israel would effectively accept the loss of 100 civilians to the dungeons and cellars of Gaza.
But we are in a very different world to that of one year ago. Early in the war, supporters of the governing Likud and other Right-wing parties began to turn against the hostage families, seeing their protests as undermining the war effort. This sentiment has now spread to more of the population, especially since the opening of the new front against Hezbollah and the exchange of fire with Iran, with the result that many more moderate Israelis have now given up on returning the hostages.
Neta Heiman, whose mother Ditza was released during the short-lived ceasefire of November last year, admits that she is “tired of shouting in the streets”, but has not yet abandoned hope of seeing the return of the remaining abductees. Currently, Heiman and other hostage families are working on a legal case to transfer responsibility for conducting a ceasefire deal to the government as a whole, rather than in “in all kinds of invented forums, such as the war cabinet, which in practice leave the issue in the hands of the prime minister and those close to him”. In their view, this approach gives Netanyahu leeway to secretly scupper attempts for a ceasefire and hostage deal.
For their part, Qatari representatives have said that they are willing to take up their role as mediators once again, if they believe that both sides are negotiating in good faith. But given the declining political pressure on Netanyahu to secure a deal, it is unlikely there will be a return to negotiation anytime soon.
David Swift is a historian and author. His next book, Scouse Republic, will be published in 2025.
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SubscribeHow does one negotiate with Hamas. That’s the real issue. There is no negotiation possible with a bunch of barbarians who are still living in the 7th century. The only solution is to completely defat and eliminate Hamas.
To be fair, Qatar and other sympathetic regimes ought to pressure Hamas just as Netanyahu receives pressure from within Israel. Not to excuse Hamas but their enablement continues apace.
At a guess when the Hamas leader was killed that was probably the end of the hostages.
If you eliminate Hamas, then what? Who governs Gaza? A “country” that has been largely destroyed, with almost no hospitals, schools, electrical and water infrastructure. Where 2 million people are largely displaced, starving and dying from disease.
Israel has made Gaza a hellhole. At some point it needs to take responsibility for that. Somebody needs to start the rebuilding that will take a generation. Because if Israel annexes Gaza and drives the Palestinians out, Israel should no longer be considered a civilized nation.
The stated mandate of Hamas is to destroy Israel. Food and other supplies have continually been going into Gaza. You don’t impress as someone who knows much about this conflict.
Not enough food. Not enough supplies. The reports of American and other medical personnel who have helped in Gaza are horrific. The New York Times had an article on that that was heartbreaking.
Dear Carlos, voting for Hamas has consequences.
The last time anyone in Gaza had the chance to vote for or against Hamas was 2004. Hamas was a different organization then. Although it was off and on, Israel had reasonably good relations with them Hamas until last year’s terrorist attack.
“The last time anyone in Gaza had the chance to vote for or against Hamas was 2004” – Trust me, give them a chance, they will vote for Hamas.
Give Russians a chance, they will vote for Putin.
Give Germans a chance in 1944, they would vote for Hitler.
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You are too optimistic about the ability of “democracy” to make people better.
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“Israel had reasonably good relations with them Hamas until last year’s terrorist attack” – Dear Carlos, this idea of yours is admirable. I never suspected before that regular rocket and mortar attacks on the territory of a neighboring state could be considered reasonably good neighborly relations.
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Thank you!
I see, if you vote for the wrong party the penalty is death for all citizens.
If your source is the NYT, I would call fake news. The only reason there aren’t enough supplies is that Hamas has been diverting these for themselves rather than feeding the rest of the population. Further, realize that the majority of Gazans support Hamas and Hamas’ aims. So frankly, the responsibility for all the destruction and for that matter the continued fighting lies entirely on Hamas’ shoulders.
I suggest that the UAE takes responsibility for rebuilding Gaza, the Gazans begin to WORK for a living, and Israel guarantees security, with a civilian force drawn from the Gazan Arab population.
“…they now have no avenue to negotiate with the terrorist group.”
Who cares about the wishes a dismantled “terrorist group” as such. Its old leadership has been terminated, and its new leaders continue to be terminated as soon they are announced internally or externally. The ‘group’ no longer has any cohesiveness within its leadership circles.
The new ‘negotiating reality’ for the still-living members of the old terrorist group – whether this reality is voiced aloud by them or internally pondered – is ‘every man for himself.’ No more dreams of billionaire perks and fame and beach houses and retirement plans and bank accounts and family legacies like in the days prior to Oct 7. They are, each of them, marked men in an ongoing war, and death will find them quickly and viciously.
Mulling over this new reality, individual terrorist members will quietly decide for themselves if their own life and their immediate family is worth saving.
If they deem it so, the terrorist will quietly seek a private intermediary to broker a deal with Israel to hand over a hostage or two (if they are still alive) in return for sparing that terrorist’s life, or at least maybe granting safe passage for their loves ones who could legitimately be collateral damage in a strike against the terrorist during wartime.
These terrorists are the walking dead, and they now know it. Gone are the days of playing games with Israel. The only game now is with their own lives.
The agony of the families is unimaginable and heartbreaking and there may well be some cynicism and self-interest in Netanyahu’s approach to the issue. However, the strong probability is that most or all of the hostages are already dead. And, looking at this totally objectively, it cannot be right to do a deal with Hamas that frees other terrorists already in Israeli prisons and rewards Hamas with cash. The 1000 prisoner swap referred to by the author, freed many of the animals who took part in the October 7th atrocity. The only sensible approach for Israel since then has been to totally destroy Hamas and prevent another day like that. Increasing their numbers and allowing them to lick their wounds and regroup will not achieve that.
So war forever, without end?
Destroy Hamas he said.
How do we even know the hostages are alive at this point? Is there video evidence or are we taking Hamas at their word? If some or all of the hostages have died, they have every reason to lie about it.
This has become even more of a mess. Without negotiations, it’s hard to say what Benjamin Netanyahu sees for the future of Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon.
The election of Donald Trump may lead to negotiations. He has been rather critical of Benjamin Netanyahu at times. Without his Jewish son-in-law Jared Kushner acting as an advisor this time, he may not be so strong in his support.
Another factor is that the father of his newest son-in-law (Tiffany Trump’s husband) is Massad Boulos, a Lebanese American billionaire who campaigned for Donald Trump in Michigan. He says that Donald Trump has promised to make him the point man in negotiations between Hezbollah and Israel.
Like with the war in Ukraine, I think it’s past time to stop viewing the war in Israel as a struggle between good and evil, and to stop thinking in terms of winning and losing, and to start negotiating a compromise that ends the death and destruction of war and brings lasting peace to the region.
Destroying Israel is in the Hamas charter. How do you negotiate with that? They are terrorists and yes, they are evil.
Simple. One of the things you ask for in negotiations is the removal of that language from their charter.
So if the Palestinians are evil and cannot be negotiated with, what is Israel’s plan? Kill them all? Drive them out? Take Gaza and the West Bank for itself?
Israel has not been a saint itself. Its prime minister Menachim Begin had been a terrorist and was proud of it. The Nakba was a terrorist operation.
Israel owes the Palestinians, and the world, at least a plan for peace. So far it has not presented one, and the time is long past for it to do so.
You talk about the Nakba but you are clearly ignorant of the history of the region. What do you think happened to all the Jews living in Arab countries. Perhaps ask yourself that. Further, if it hadn’t been for the Mufti of Jeruysalem (who sided with Hitler in WWII), there likely wouldn’t have been fighting between the Israelis and so-called Palestinians during the 1948 war of independence. Lastly, it was the Arab countries who tried to destroy Israel at its birth. Live by the sword, die by the sword. If the Palestinians want peace they have to come to terms with the existence of Israel. But so far they have rejected every single deal, each one more generous than the preceding one.
Dear Carlos, not everyone is ready to kneel before animals.
If Israel wanted to return hostages they could do the next day, it would be known as October 8. But as always the state comes before people, so the hostages have never been the primary goal. Idols require human sacrifice ( it’s in the bible)
I think the media needs to report better. These types of arguments like Palestinians are evil as if other countries did not commit atrocious before (Are Germans still Nazis? What about Americans – are they still racist from owning people like property?). No. they are not but they did bad things. Both Israel and Palestine are not angels but neither are they any worse or any better than anyone ever wanted some land or some sovereignty? We are sounding stupid with these repetitions!
The reality is this: even if Israel finishes the job and took all the land…that does not make Israel safe.
For those who refuse to read or learn the history:
Jordan: 2 million Palestinians, with approximately 120,000 lacking citizenship
Lebanon: 450,000 Palestinians, none have citizenship
Syria: 500,000 Palestinians, none have citizenship
Egypt: Tens of thousands of Palestinians, typically without citizenship
Iraq: Approximately 34,000 Palestinians, none have citizenship
All these people are waiting for a country someday for their children because as you can see none of them have a nationality.
I am confident Trump will solve this and none of them will be happy with the result and what a shame!
Jordan and Lebanon, at least, won’t make the same mistake again.
The return of Gilad Shalit for 1000+ Hamas types, including Sinwar, helped pave the way for October 7th. Looking back, that was a bad deal. Negotiating and trading for hostages encourages more hostage taking. This time Israel went to war with the hostage takers, killed most of their leaders and many of their fighters.
Hamas does not mind Gazan civilian deaths. In fact, it sees these deaths as helpful propaganda. No matter how much Gaza gets battered, those guarding the hostages won’t give them up unless Israel stops fighting and pulls out of Gaza. Then Hamas can rebuild for its next October 7th.
I hope Israel has. Israel has always been weak to hostage-taking, and that probably even created the current situation.