Hamas or hostages? Israel faces tough choice amid international pressure

India Today

27-05-2025

On May 26, yet another attempt at a ceasefire in Gaza ended abruptly after Israel and Hamas refused to accept a deal that could have ended the misery of people in Gaza. Even if temporarily, it would have ushered in critical food, water, and medical aid for the starving and dying population.Steve Witkoff, the US Envoy for the Middle East, outlined the offer, which stated that Israel would agree to a temporary ceasefire that would see half of the living and deceased hostages return and lead to substantive negotiations to find a path to a permanent ceasefire. The deal would see around 10 living hostages and 10 bodies of hostages, along with hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, released in two stages during a roughly two-month ceasefire. In the meantime, Israel and Hamas could have negotiated the terms of a permanent truce.advertisementThe offer, however, found no takers.
Meanwhile, death and misery in Gaza continue. In a fresh push towards eliminating the threat of Hamas, on May 16, Israel launched Operation Gideon's Chariots — a reference to a biblical warrior. The campaign is aiming 'to achieve all the goals of the war in Gaza, including the release of the hostages and the defeat of Hamas.'Israel Defence Forces spokesperson Effie Defrin stated, 'During the operation, we will increase and expand our operational control in the Gaza Strip, including segmenting the territory and moving the population for their protection in all the areas in which we operate.' On May 18, over 100 people were killed in Gaza in one night in an extensive ground operation coupled with an intense air campaign.Israel and Hamas had agreed to a ceasefire just before Donald Trump took office as the US President in January 2025. The truce, which came into effect on January 16, lasted till March 18, when Israel unilaterally broke out of it, launching airstrikes and subsequently moving ground forces back into Gaza. A complete blockade was enforced along with the renewed offensive, restricting the movement of any food, water, or medical aid.advertisementAs per Gaza's Health Ministry, 3,785 people have been killed since Israel ended a ceasefire in March, bringing the death toll to at least 53,900, with over 1,22,500 wounded. As per estimates, over 70 per cent of these are women and children, including infants. This has led to a global outcry. On the other hand, of the 251 Israeli hostages taken on October 7, 2023, Hamas still holds 58. These include the bodies of at least 35 confirmed dead by Israel, and at least 20 are believed to be alive.Israel's dilemma: Hostages or Hamas?As Israel's fresh offensive takes shape, the deteriorating condition of the remaining hostages is a concern. At home, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces increasing pressure from the families of hostages. Hamas has repeatedly refused to release any more hostages until Israel agrees to a permanent end to the war and withdraws forces from Gaza. Israel, on the other hand, insists on the complete surrender of Hamas, including the demilitarisation of Gaza and removal of Hamas from any future governance structure.As Israeli forces continued their hunt for Hamas, they scored a major tactical victory on May 13, when they eliminated Muhammad Sinwar, its de facto chief in Gaza and the brother of Yahya Sinwar, Hamas' military chief who was killed last year.advertisementDespite repeated military successes, however, Israel is nowhere near achieving its military goals. Reports of Hamas recruiting fresh cadres in hundreds and rearming them are also a matter of concern. With Hamas not relenting and the number of living hostages shrinking by the day, Israel faces a huge dilemma: to choose between getting the remaining hostages out at the earliest or risking their lives to finish Hamas forever. Meanwhile, with increasing reports of starvation and mass killings in Gaza, there is greater pressure on Israel to call off the war at the earliest.Increasing international pressureFollowing the start of Operation Gideon's Chariots, Israel began facing unprecedented pressure from its allies. The UK, Canada, and France have threatened sanctions. On May 19, the UK's Keir Starmer, France's Emmanuel Macron, and Canada's Mark Carney issued a joint statement condemning Israel's handling of the humanitarian situation in Gaza and called on it to immediately halt military action in the enclave and allow in more aid. They threatened 'further concrete actions in response' if Israel refuses. Netanyahu was quick to say that the three countries were 'on the wrong side of history'. The European Union, Israel's biggest trade partner, is reviewing its landmark Association Agreement.advertisementOn May 25, Spain, which has been vocal in its opposition to Israel's military campaign in Gaza, held the fifth official meeting of the Madrid Group, a group comprising key European and Arab nations, which called on the international community to impose sanctions on Israel to force it to stop its war in Gaza.However, it is the support from its key ally, the US, which is starting to become a concern for Israel. The alliance with the US, which has always stood strong, is on shaky ground in light of the increasing casualties and continuing deaths due to starvation, especially those of children.The fact that Donald Trump visited the region earlier this month — his first foreign visit after taking over as the president — did not include Israel is a statement in itself. The ongoing US-Iran nuclear talks, despite strong opposition from Israel, are also a sign of discord. Trump and Netanyahu have reportedly engaged in verbal spats over the Iran nuclear deal. Although the US continues its support to Israel in the supply of military aid, increasing international opposition to its military operations in Gaza means that Israel is largely left to fight this battle on its own.advertisementThe Operation Sindoor wayThe war in Gaza has been going on for 20 months and shows no signs of relenting. Israel may have to conduct a hard internal review.It has already achieved more than it set out to on October 7, 2023. Hamas has been severely degraded and its top political and military leadership wiped out. Hezbollah has been brought to its knees with the entire top leadership eliminated and military capability severely crippled. With the Al Sharra government in place in Syria, Israel has made considerable gains in securing key territory for itself to create a buffer from any ISIS-type threat. Iran, which is the chief benefactor of proxy groups operating against Israel, too, is weakened and is unlikely to pose any serious threat soon.Therefore, calling off the war from the current position of a huge military advantage should be the preferred option for Israel instead of fighting an endless battle. In an opinion poll published by Israel's Channel 12 broadcaster earlier this month, 61 per cent favoured ending the war for a deal securing hostages, while only 25 per cent supported the expanded military operation.advertisementIsrael should take a leaf out of the Indian playbook in the recently-conducted Operation Sindoor against terror infrastructure in Pakistan. Having delivered crushing blows, both to the terrorists and the Pakistani military, India agreed to an early ceasefire instead of getting bogged down in a battle of attrition. Israel could think of something similar now and get back the remaining hostages. If Hamas threatens to manifest again in the future, it can then be taken out before it harms Israel, a battle left to be fought another day.(Col Rajeev Agarwal is a Foreign Policy Expert and a Senior Research Consultant at Chintan Research Foundation, New Delhi)(Views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author)Trending Reel