Torn From Within: Israel Increasingly Divided Over War in Gaza, Fate of Hostage Deal
Polarizing views within Israel intensify as the government faces criticism over its handling of the hostage crisis and ongoing conflict
When Ditza Or looked straight into the camera at Channel 12’s news studio on Tuesday night and proposed a new hostage deal to Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, only she knew what was coming.
“Sinwar, you scoundrel, I have a new deal for you,” said Ditza, the mother of Avinatan, a 30-year-old Israeli held captive by Hamas in Gaza since October 7, speaking with resolve. “I offer you the release of 109 hostages in exchange for just five in return.”
She then offered Hamas the sons of Israel’s military chief, defense minister, and three other senior officials, whom she blames for the country’s failure to win the war and secure the release of the 109 hostages still held in Gaza.
The charged televised moment was met with immediate backlash in the studio and among the public. More than anything, it reflected the growing polarization within Israeli society over the Gaza war and how to resolve the hostage crisis.
Or is part of the Tikva (Hope) Forum, a small right-wing group of hostage parents who split from the main advocacy group.
Just hours before, Yaya Fink, a left-wing activist, made a similar offer on his X account.
“Any member of parliament or minister who opposes the deal will offer his son to Hamas instead of one of the hostages currently in Gaza,” he wrote. “Hamas will … be satisfied … and Israeli elected officials will also be satisfied … [and] we will be on the way to complete victory.”
Both Fink and Or faced criticism for their extreme suggestions, which were essentially two sides of the same coin—critiques of the government’s crisis management.
Professor Gilad Hirschberger, a political psychologist at Reichman University, points to deep ideological differences at the heart of the current debate.
“There is an inherent tension between achieving victory and freeing the hostages, which becomes more apparent as time passes,” he told The Media Line. “This is at the basis of the ideological divide between right and left, where the left prioritizes the individual and the right places the state and its goals above its citizens.”
On Wednesday, in an emotional address at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, the parents of American Israeli hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin called for the release of their son and all the hostages. Jon and Rachel paid tribute to their son, who lost an arm during Hamas’ attack and was dragged, bleeding profusely, onto a pickup truck before being taken into Gaza more than 10 months ago.
“This is a political convention,” Jon Polin said. “But needing our son and all the hostages home is not a political issue. It is a humanitarian issue.”
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Hersh Goldberg-Polin was last seen in a Hamas video released three months ago, begging to be freed from captivity. Videos periodically released by the terrorist group have further fueled the charged atmosphere.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government have been criticized for showing little sympathy toward the hostages and their families. Though Netanyahu has dismissed this criticism, it has persisted and contributed to tensions. This has further inflamed an already contentious debate.
As time passes, the hostage families find themselves in an increasingly dire situation, expressing more and more difficult sentiments
“As time passes, the hostage families find themselves in an increasingly dire situation, expressing more and more difficult sentiments,” said Hirschberger. “The dilemma over the deal is real, but there’s a sense that the government lacks empathy,” he added.
The ongoing effort to negotiate a deal between Israel and Hamas is being led by the US, Egypt, and Qatar. Reports suggest the deal would involve the gradual release of hostages. In exchange, Israel would halt military operations in the Gaza Strip and withdraw its forces from key areas, including the Philadelphi corridor, Hamas’ main weapons lifeline and potentially an escape route for its leaders with hostages in tow.
Gil Dickmann, cousin of hostage Carmel Gat, believes the issue should remain free of politics.
“Despite attempts to politicize this issue, support for releasing the hostages is growing across the spectrum. Netanyahu faces a choice: the lives of the hostages or control of the Philadelphi corridor. He appears to prioritize the latter, even with a rare chance to save lives. The government is increasingly disconnected from public sentiment, and this divide is widening as time passes,” Dickmann told The Media Line.
Netanyahu’s office has consistently denied making any concessions on the Philadelphi corridor, despite reports to the contrary.
“Israel will insist on achieving all of its war objectives … including ensuring that Gaza never again poses a security threat to Israel. Securing the southern border is essential,” read a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office on Wednesday night.
The Israeli military currently controls the Philadelphi corridor and the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing with Egypt. Beneath the surface lies an extensive network of tunnels that has facilitated Hamas’ growth since Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip in 2005. The military is gradually dismantling these tunnels in a piecemeal effort.
“These strategic gains were made through the blood of our children,” Yehoshua Shani, father of Ori Mordechai Shani, a soldier killed defending Israeli civilians on a kibbutz during Hamas’ attack, told The Media Line. “They must not be surrendered. Israel cannot yield to pressure.”
The incomplete nature of Israel’s efforts in Gaza, with many tunnels and terrorist infrastructure still intact, lies at the core of the debate over a potential cease-fire, even if temporary. Another key concern is the deal’s gradual nature, which may not secure the release of all hostages at once, raising fears it may not fully materialize.
“We need them all returned at once. I worry not all stages of the deal will be completed. Once Hamas gets what it wants, the remaining hostages could be doomed,” said Shani.
Public opinion on a hostage deal has shifted. At the war’s outset, the majority opposed a deal, believing the conflict needed to continue. Now, the majority of Israelis are in favor of a deal.
“This may be due to the war’s prolonged duration,” said Hirschberger. “Additionally, the image of hostages languishing in captivity for over 10 months has affected public opinion in ways not seen at the war’s start.”
The war, which erupted on October 7 with Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel, followed months of intense political debate over the future of Israel’s democracy. The debate was the culmination of years of societal polarization, exposing deep divisions. Israeli society is highly diverse and the glue between the different elements appears to be weakening in recent decades. Among many partitions, the country is divided along lines of religion, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Political discourse has grown increasingly toxic, with opposing sides focusing on differences rather than seeking common ground. At the helm of the Israeli government is Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, one of the nation’s most contentious political figures and its longest-serving leader.
For a brief few weeks, the war brought unity, pushing aside all differences. Israelis rallied behind the army and the flag, united against their enemies. But as the war dragged on, those who had previously opposed Netanyahu’s judicial reforms began to question his intentions regarding the war. During his lengthy tenure, he has gained opponents within his own political bloc, making future re-election an even greater challenge.
The Israeli premier, currently on trial for corruption, suffered a blow to his popularity at the start of the war. While he has slowly regained support, many believe he is deliberately prolonging the war to delay his political downfall. This has clouded the political debate, and while the pros and cons of a hostage deal are legitimate, the discussion has been marred by infighting.
The debate could have been as straightforward as victory versus hostage release. … But deep distrust of the government has made it highly charged.
“The debate could have been as straightforward as victory versus hostage release, and it could have been more rational. But deep distrust of the government has made it highly charged, with people questioning the government’s motives,” said Hirschberger.
“The debate needs to remain respectful and practical, while still allowing for strong criticism,” said Shani.
With each side passionate about what victory entails, the discourse about the future often escalates.
Victory means saving lives. Saving lives comes through a deal, not a military operation.
“Victory means saving lives. Saving lives comes through a deal, not a military operation,” said Dickmann. “Victory is about life, about winning a terrorist organization that does not value life.”
In the same week that the Israeli army recovered the bodies of six hostages, the fragility of the issue was once again underscored. With the war’s one-year anniversary approaching, the fiery debate shows no signs of ending.
