Murder of Hostages Deepens Israeli Divisions Over Gaza Strategy

The recovery of six Israeli hostages’ bodies reignites fierce debate over the military tactics and negotiation efforts in the ongoing conflict with Hamas

Israelis woke up Sunday to the devastating news that the military had recovered the bodies of six Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza for nearly a year. According to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), initial assessments suggest the hostages were killed shortly before troops reached them in an underground tunnel in southern Gaza. The news added fuel to an already raging debate about the price Israel should pay for the release of its hostages.

Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Eden Yerushalmi, Ori Danino, Alex Lubnov, Carmel Gat, and Almog Sarusi were abducted by Hamas during its surprise attack on Israel on October 7. In response, Israel launched a war against Hamas that continues to this day.

Israel’s Health Ministry reported on Sunday that the six hostages recovered from the Gaza Strip overnight were killed 48 to 72 hours before their autopsies, placing their deaths between Thursday and Friday morning. Additionally, examinations by the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute revealed all six hostages were shot multiple times at close range.

Hamas health officials claim over 40,000 Palestinians have been killed as a result of Israel’s military actions in Gaza.

The prolonged conflict has sparked controversy in Israel between those who believe the war endangers the hostages and those who argue that increased military pressure is needed to force Hamas to agree to a deal for the release of the remaining 101 hostages.

Since the war began, 154 hostages have been returned, most through a temporary cease-fire with Hamas. Eight hostages have been rescued alive in military operations, while the bodies of over 30 have been recovered and laid to rest in Israel. The fate of the remaining hostages remains uncertain.

Negotiations for the release of the remaining hostages have been ongoing, mediated by the US, Qatar, and Egypt. The talks have stalled over several issues, including disagreements on the number of hostages to be released initially, Israel’s veto of certain Palestinian prisoners slated for release, and the future of Israel’s military presence in Gaza should the deal collapse during implementation.

In response to Sunday’s tragic news, families of some hostages called for massive protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Many of these families blame Netanyahu for failing to secure the hostages’ release sooner, accusing him of setting unrealistic conditions for a deal with Hamas. Public support for their position is significant, although polls show that the complexities of such a deal are often underrepresented. While all Israelis want the hostages returned, there is fierce debate over the terms.

Netanyahu has taken a hard-line stance, insisting that military pressure is the key to securing the hostages’ release and demanding that Israel maintain its military presence along Gaza’s border with Egypt. The Philadelphi corridor, a narrow strip of land, is seen as a vital route for Hamas to smuggle weapons into Gaza, both through underground tunnels and via the official Rafah crossing. The Israeli military currently controls the area to choke off Hamas’ supply lines, while Hamas demands the IDF’s withdrawal. Reports from recent Israeli cabinet meetings suggest that Netanyahu is at odds with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and senior military commanders, who believe that a withdrawal from Philadelphi might be necessary to save as many hostages as possible.

On Thursday, the Israeli cabinet voted to keep IDF troops in Philadelphi as a principle in any future deal with Hamas. However, after the hostages’ bodies were recovered, Gallant called for a reversal of this decision.

Those who remain in Hamas captivity must be brought home

“The cabinet must convene immediately,” Gallant posted on his X account on Sunday. “It is too late for the hostages who were murdered in cold blood. Those who remain in Hamas captivity must be brought home.”

“If we want all the hostages back, we need to negotiate smartly,” said Tal Gilboa, whose nephew Guy Dalal is held by Hamas after attending the Nova music festival near the Gaza border. “The Philadelphi corridor is Hamas’ lifeline, and it wouldn’t be a dealbreaker if Hamas didn’t think so too. The fact that Israel wasn’t there for many years is why Hamas became so strong. If we don’t hold Philadelphi, the hostages will be smuggled out, and Hamas will rearm—if Hamas rearms, Guy and the other hostages won’t come home.”

Esther Buchstab buried her son Yagev last month after the IDF recovered his body in Gaza. Yagev and his wife Rimon were abducted by Hamas from their home in Kibbutz Nirim. Rimon was released in November.

After years of living on the Gaza border, Buchstab has a different perspective on Israel’s security needs.

Get the hostages out first. You cannot fight when they are still there, it’s impossible—they get murdered.

“I get the need for security, I get the need to topple Hamas,” she told The Media Line. “But get the hostages out first. You cannot fight when they are still there, it’s impossible—they get murdered.”

In December, the Israeli military mistakenly killed three Israeli hostages who had escaped captivity but were misidentified by soldiers in Gaza. The tragic incident underscored the complex circumstances and the delicate situation facing Israeli decision-makers.

“Our personal journey may be over, but there is no closure until all the hostages are home,” Buchstab said. “We are in a whirlwind of emotions. I couldn’t sleep last night; it’s so crazy, you never know who is next.”

Buchstab spoke on her way to protest against the government in Tel Aviv, expressing a nagging feeling of failure for not bringing her son home alive.

All the delays, all the torpedoing of deals, are costing lives.

“The prime minister and the government need to understand there is no time left,” she said. “All the delays, all the torpedoing of deals, are costing lives. They don’t understand us, because if they did, they would do everything to bring them back.”

“Hamas is evil and has no compassion,” she added. “We cannot count on them to keep them alive while we wait.”

Hours after the six bodies were returned to Israel, Netanyahu made a statement to the public.

“As Israel continues to intensely negotiate with the mediators in an effort to reach a deal, Hamas continues to refuse any offer,” he said in a recorded statement. “Those who murder hostages – do not want a deal. I am personally committed to continue to strive for a deal that will bring back all of our hostages and guarantee our security and existence.”

Gershon Baskin, an Israeli who operated a secret and direct negotiating channel with Hamas for the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in 2011, revealed over the weekend that he had managed to reach an agreement with Hamas for a three-week deal that would see the release of the remaining hostages in Gaza and bring to an end to the war in Gaza with the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip and a release of several Palestinian prisoners.

According to Baskin, Israel is capable of dealing with Hamas’ threat and could have thwarted the surprise offensive had it beefed up its presence on the border in the days before the attack.

“Israel is not facing the Russian army on the border; this is Hamas, and it could have been dealt with,” Baskin told The Media Line. “Israel needs to secure its border, and it needs to deal with the Palestinian issue from a political point of view because the solution is political and not military. The longer Israel stays in Gaza, the more armed insurgency there will be, the more soldiers will be killed.”

Over 700 Israeli soldiers have been killed since the beginning of the war, 339 of them in the ground offensive in Gaza.

In the immediate aftermath of Hamas’ terror attack, Netanyahu’s popularity plummeted as many Israelis held him responsible for the failure to prevent the attack and for his policy which allowed for the strengthening of Hamas during his many years as Israel’s longest-serving prime minister. He is also on trial on various charges of corruption, causing his opponents to constantly question his interests in any move he makes.

“Netanyahu’s personal and political interests are coming before the interests of the country,” said Baskin. “He knows that when the war is over, he will probably face new elections which he will lose and definitely face a national commission of inquiry which he will finally have to stand up and take responsibility for what happened and what led to it.”

Several unions and business owners have called for a general strike and widespread protests against the government, accusing the leadership of sacrificing the hostages. The funerals of four of the hostages will be held Sunday, while protests are expected to escalate.

“This could be a breaking point in public opinion; it’s doubtful, but it might bring masses to the streets,” Baskin said.

Netanyahu’s coalition holds a solid majority in parliament, making it difficult to topple the government. While he is at odds with much of the defense establishment, he still retains the support of most of his cabinet.