Opinion: Negotiating With the Devil
The staged display of hostages and grotesque imagery in Gaza is a reminder that Hamas remains in control, using psychological warfare to manipulate global opinion
The meticulously choreographed stage in Gaza, featuring a grotesque mural of Bibi the Vampire clutching the Bibas family, set as Hamas paraded the coffins of an innocent mother, her two young sons, and journalist and peace activist Oded Lifshitz, was an abomination. Determined to expand the boundaries of hell, Hamas played a shell game, sending the black coffins but withholding the remains of Shiri Bibas. The backdrop bore the words, in Arabic, Hebrew, and English: “War Criminal Netanyahu Killed Them with Missiles, Zionist Warplanes.” This, too, should be considered a war crime.
The grotesque spectacle drew international condemnation, including from United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, who said Hamas’ actions were a violation of human rights. “Under international law, any handover of the remains of deceased must comply with the prohibition of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, ensuring respect for the dignity of the deceased and their families,” Türk said, calling the display abhorrent and contrary to international law.
This should be the final straw in the negotiations.
Calling out Hamas for violating agreements, appealing to the Red Cross, and condemning these acts as psychological warfare has been done repeatedly—yet it has only emboldened the terrorist group to escalate its abusive and traumatic tactics.
Each hostage release, carried out under a fragile ceasefire, becomes more inhumane than the last. Every step in negotiations between Hamas and Israel has been broken by Hamas. Forcing hostages to stand before cameras, thanking their captors, and receiving certificates for surviving brutal conditions has not yet shocked the world into action. The sight of emaciated Eli Sharabi, Ohad Ben Ami, and Or Levy, reduced to near-skeletal states, has not been enough to prove that their captors are not human but savages.
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The trauma for the families is unimaginable. But for Yarden Bibas, kidnapped from Nir Oz and returned on February 1, the nightmare will never end. The pain is shared by every Israeli, and the story of two redheaded boys, Ariel and Kfir Bibas, has touched hearts worldwide. Kfir, the youngest hostage abducted on October 7, was only eight and a half months old. This family has become a symbol of Hamas’ barbarism—and, reportedly, of the many Gazans who participated in the attack.
How do we, as a supposedly civilized world, explain to our children that we negotiated with evil incarnate? We teach them to avoid those who could harm them—yet we fail to follow our own advice. Feeding bad behavior does not subdue it; it strengthens it.
While Israel works to protect its children from psychological trauma, Hamas uses children as human shields, combatants, and propaganda tools. The Education Ministry in Israel has issued guidance for helping children process news about the returned bodies, urging parents and educators to provide reassurance while minimizing exposure to distressing images. Meanwhile, Hamas has expanded its recruitment of child soldiers, dressing young children—some barely in kindergarten—as armed fighters. Some are used for show, but many are actively indoctrinated and trained for battle. Hamas does not just fight Israel—it seeks to dominate its own people, ensuring that future generations are raised in a culture of violence and hatred.
This is a mockery of those negotiating and a clear reminder that Hamas remains in control.
The exchange ratio of one hostage for 50 prisoners, which then escalated to one for 100 within a week, further exposes who is dictating the terms. Many of the released prisoners are convicted killers who should remain behind bars—causing fresh wounds for families like Hillel Fuld’s, whose American brother was murdered by Khalil Yousef Ali Jabarin.
This is not a negotiation; it is a power game where Hamas holds all the cards.
Despite Hamas’ well-documented atrocities, international condemnation remains insufficient. While the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and other governments have condemned Hamas for taking hostages, they have not done enough to hold the group accountable. Some governments have pointed directly to Hamas’ responsibility for the deaths of the Bibas family, yet words alone will not bring justice. Without meaningful action, Hamas will continue to manipulate negotiations and commit further crimes with impunity.
October 7, 2023, should have been the world’s final wake-up call—a warning of Hamas’ capabilities and intentions. This is a terrorist organization driven by bloodlust, one that no rebranding or justification can conceal. Hamas’ leadership should face trial at the International Criminal Court, and the United Nations should be in an uproar over its atrocities.
President Donald Trump warned Hamas that “hell would break out” if the hostages were not released. It is time to remind Hamas who is truly in control, under what terms, and to break this dangerous cycle of lopsided negotiations.
Take away the power from the armed wing; it only empowers the evil among us.
