Every Successful Hostage Rescue Puts Pressure on Hamas to Negotiate with Israel

Introduction

Hamas is a terrorist organization that has been designated as such by the United States and the European Union. Hamas has a long history of kidnapping and holding hostages, both Israeli and Palestinian. Getting hostages rescued successfully puts pressure on Hamas to negotiate with Israel.

Background

In 2006, Hamas kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit and held him hostage for five years. In 2011, Hamas kidnapped Israeli soldier Oron Shaul and held him hostage for two years. In both cases, Israel eventually agreed to release Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the release of the hostages.

The Pressure to Negotiate

Every successful hostage rescue puts pressure on Hamas to negotiate with Israel. This is because each successful rescue demonstrates that Israel is willing and able to use force to free its hostages. This makes Hamas less likely to want to kidnap Israeli hostages in the future, as they know that they are likely to be rescued.

In addition, each successful hostage rescue weakens Hamas's position. This is because it shows that Hamas is not able to hold onto its hostages indefinitely. This makes it more difficult for Hamas to use hostages as a bargaining chip in negotiations with Israel.

Conclusion

Every successful hostage rescue is a small victory for Israel and a small defeat for Hamas. These victories add up over time, and they help to make it more difficult for Hamas to kidnap and hold hostages. This, in turn, makes it more likely that Hamas will eventually be forced to negotiate with Israel.

Additional Resources

Council on Foreign Relations: Hamas

BBC News: Hamas releases Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in prisoner swap

The Guardian: Oron Shaul, Israeli soldier killed in Gaza conflict, confirmed dead