TWO AMERICAN HOSTAGES RELEASED BY DEAR, BROTHERLY HAMAS:  You all know that two American hostages, a mother and daughter from Illinois, have been released by Hamas.  They were captured during the Hamas slaughter of Israelis on October 7th. 

Now the hostage game begins.  Bad actors don't take hostages because they're lonely or need babysitters.  They take them to be used as bargaining chips.  Sadly, the game often works.  Hamas says that more "foreign" hostages, meaning non-Israeli, will be released if the Israelis stop bombing Hamas targets in the the Gaza Strip.  They also add some "humanitarian" demands that at least one journalistic nitwit that I saw described as "reasonable."  No doubt.  Hamas will now strive to sound moderate, even benevolent, as compared to that nasty Israel and the Great Satan, the United States. 

Most hostage situations involve the country taking the hostages and the country whose citizens are taken.  This one is more complicated.  There are hostages from a number of countries.   No national leader can appear to sacrifice his own citizens, so the heat will now be on Israel to 1) be sensitive; 2) recognize the legitimate grievances of the Palestinian people; 3) understand that Hamas members are human beings; 4) realize that Israel's refusal to accept Hamas demands will result in the deaths of citizens from countries that are at least friendly to Israel; 5) avoid the childish impulse for vengeance over the unfortunate slaughter of October 7th.

There is a much longer list available.  You've all heard it.

The United States and Europe are already putting pressure on Israel to delay its offensive into Gaza to allow time for more attempts to release other hostages.  I have no idea what Israel will say, but I'm guessing that Prime Minister Netanyahu will be forced to provide more time.  Once that cycle starts, it's hard to say where it ends. 

I doubt if Israel will achieve its goal of wiping out Hamas.  There are, after all, Hamas operatives and assets in a number of countries.  But if this war does not end with Hamas badly hurt and bleeding, you can be sure that it will launch another attack soon, possibly right in the middle of our presidential campaign. 

October 21,  2023