Hostage Release Deal Faces Criticism but General Avivi Calls It ‘Right Thing To Do’
Retired IDF General Avivi calls the ceasefire’s hostage exchange a ‘tough but necessary’ step to free Israelis while eradicating Hamas and preventing future terror threats
The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect on Sunday morning, a step that retired IDF General Amir Avivi described to The Media Line as “difficult but necessary” to balance Israel’s moral and strategic objectives in the ongoing war. Following the resignation of far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Avivi emphasized in an interview with Felice Friedson the complexities of the agreement, which will see hostages returned to Israel in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, many of whom have committed serious offenses.
This morning brought good news. And now, mainly because we managed to win against Hezbollah, the change of regime in Syria, the weakness of Iran, and also the threats of President Trump, that there will be hell if they don’t bring back the hostages. This created the opportunity and the terms to bring back many of our hostages who are alive. And I think that this is good news.
“This morning brought good news,” Avivi said, referencing the recovery of Staff Sgt. Oron Shaul’s body by the IDF and Shin Bet after nearly a decade in Hamas custody. “And now, mainly because we managed to win against Hezbollah, the change of regime in Syria, the weakness of Iran, and also the threats of President Trump, that there will be hell if they don’t bring back the hostages. This created the opportunity and the terms to bring back many of our hostages who are alive. And I think that this is good news.”
The terror organization named the three hostages set for release later today—British-Israeli citizen Emily Damari, 28 and Romanian-Israeli Doron Steinbrecher, 31, both of whom were taken from their homes in Kibbutz Kfar Aza during the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, and Israeli national Romi Gonen, 24, who was abducted from the Nova festival the same day. The families of the three women confirmed they were set to be released later today under the terms of the ceasefire deal.
All of them need to be reached. It’s Israel’s responsibility to bring back the hostages. It’s the right, moral thing to do.
“All of them need to be reached,” Avivi stated. “It’s Israel’s responsibility to bring back the hostages. It’s the right, moral thing to do.”
However, he acknowledged the challenges of the deal, particularly in releasing “terrible terrorists” in exchange for hostages. “On average, we released around 30 terrorists for each hostage,” Avivi noted. “Obviously, we would have liked to have a better deal and much less terrorists, but this is what they managed to achieve.”
The retired general also warned against releasing figures like Marwan Barghouti, who received 13 life sentences for orchestrating multiple deadly attacks, noting the risk of reinvigorating terror networks, adding, “Some individuals should never be released.”
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Hamas needs to be eradicated.
Avivi emphasized that while Israel must make compromises, its ultimate objective is clear: “Hamas needs to be eradicated.”
“I think that when we look at the deal, we have to look at the big picture. And the big picture is that we’re in a war where we have to reach three goals of war.” Avivi outlined these as eradicating Hamas as a military and governmental entity, securing the return of all hostages, and ensuring that Gaza never again becomes a base for a terror army.
Hamas wants to survive, and they’ll use any opportunity to stop the war. Israel’s leadership must weigh the costs of these decisions while keeping our ultimate objectives in sight.
He expressed concerns over Hamas recruiting local Gazans through coercion and humanitarian aid. He called for international cooperation to ensure aid is directed to civilians rather than enabling Hamas to rebuild. “Hamas wants to survive, and they’ll use any opportunity to stop the war,” he said. “Israel’s leadership must weigh the costs of these decisions while keeping our ultimate objectives in sight.”
Hamas has recruited thousands of Gazans in the last few months. It recruits them by paying them a very small amount of money, 100 shekels, 150 shekels a month, but also by threatening them that if they don’t join Hamas, their families won’t get food..
Avivi also addressed Hamas’s ongoing recruitment efforts, noting, “Hamas has recruited thousands of Gazans in the last few months. It recruits them by paying them a very small amount of money, 100 shekels, 150 shekels a month, but also by threatening them that if they don’t join Hamas, their families won’t get food.”
He stressed the importance of cutting Hamas off from humanitarian aid to weaken their control over the population and reiterated that Israel has significantly degraded Hamas’ capabilities but warned against complacency. “We have to remember that we apprehended a thousand terrorists in one month in Gaza. We can reverse this.”
Avivi noted that Israel, in the last few days, reinforced the Israeli forces along the Philadelphi Corridor to make sure that Gaza is completely closed and that there is no smuggling of weapons or terrorists into Gaza from the Sinai Peninsula. Meanwhile, in the West Bank, “The Palestinian Authority is acting mostly because of self-preservation. But their activities in Jenin and in other cities have failed. They withdrew.”
Israel is not counting on the Palestinian Authority to defend its citizens. And the IDF, as we speak, is reinforcing the area of Judea and Samaria with more battalions to be able to defend the Israeli towns and also do activities to apprehend the terrorists. We know that this area might deteriorate.
“Israel is not counting on the Palestinian Authority to defend its citizens,” Avivi continued. “And the IDF, as we speak, is reinforcing the area of Judea and Samaria with more battalions to be able to defend the Israeli towns and also do activities to apprehend the terrorists. We know that this area might deteriorate.”
He noted that while there is cooperation, it’s mostly on a “very tactical level.”
“The Palestinian Authority is not a factor when it comes to Israel’s security. It mainly deals with everyday life inside the Palestinian cities,” Avivi told The Media Line. “And their level of control is very low. They are challenged by Hamas, by Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and fractions of the Palestinian Liberation Organization. The Palestinian people are fed up with this entity.”
