Ending two years of torment

Very happy for the hostages, their families, and Israel.

In truth, I didn’t really believe all the living hostages would be released.

For the moment, in Israel at least, a day for celebration.

Great work by Trump, Netanyahu, and the IDF in getting those Israelis back in the arms of their loved ones.

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I think this is a small victory for Israel (even at the heavy price). Since Oct-7, Israel has been obliged to engage against Hamas with one arm tied because of hostage considerations (see my post on Israel’s achilles heel). 

Hamas still exists and now reinforced by 2,000 more maniacs. History portends that Hamas will not fulfill its end of the deal, but Israel/US should be able to retaliate without the hostages getting in the way now.

Also, I’ve been wondering whether the Israeli airstrike in Doha (September 9th) was the catalyst of transformation in Hamas’s top officials. It showed Israel would target their Qatari headquarters, and neither Hamas nor Qatar were prepared to countenance that. So, well done Netanyahu.

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ADDENDUM: Ben Smith writing for the Telegraph reports that President Trump has probably, in a secret meeting, disabled Israel from “restarting the war”:

Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff reportedly shook hands with Hamas’ leaders at a secret meeting last week.

The two men personally assured senior figures in the terrorist group that Donald Trump, the US president, would not allow Israel to restart the war after freeing its hostages, Axios reported.

“We think that if you meet them and shake their hand there will be a deal,” a Qatari official reportedly told Mr Witkoff, the US’ Middle East envoy.

Mr Witkoff and Mr Kushner, the president’s son-in-law, met Hamas’ four most senior leaders on Wednesday alongside officials from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey in Sharm el-Sheikh. Mr Trump is said to have given his permission for the meeting.