On video: Statement by the families of the Tel Aviv abductees: "This is not the time for procrastination"/Photo: Shlomi Gabai
"Hamas has no interest in making a deal at the moment," Rami Igra, former head of the Prisoners and Missing Persons Division at the Mossad, stated this morning (Tuesday) on Udi Segal and Anat Davidov's Seven-Nine show on Radio 103FM. In recent days, the reports of a breakthrough in negotiations for a hostage deal are increasing. The negotiation team even recently returned to Cairo in order to conclude the final terms of the deal. Igra wants to cool the enthusiasm.
"I've said it before," he continued. "Knowledgeable sources close to the negotiations say that the 'forward, backward' that Hamas is doing is more for public relations than to reach any kind of deal. Hamas has demanded several things from the very beginning, and it has not changed its position even once - the withdrawal of the IDF from the Strip, non-harming of the high officials, the end of the war, the restoration of the Strip."
"Hamas has not backed down from its demands even once." Protest for the return of the abductees/official website, Guy Nemesh
Igra went on to make it clear that Israel is not able to be flexible and accept some of Hamas's demands. "To Gaza and the end of the war. Israel and the Americans think that he can be convinced, it is illogical. This goes against the common sense of Hamas, after all it is a jihadist organization that is committed to jihad against the Jews."
Igra believes that there are levers that Israel can use to return the abductees, but that the government does not use them for its own reasons, "The only thing we have not done yet is to find an alternative for the day after For the residents of Gaza, there is currently only Hamas. He controls the Strip, he has tremendous support within the Strip, no less than it was on October 7. The Hamas organization itself has no reason to change."
"The State of Israel should have offered some kind of alternative the day after. She is not doing it for political reasons, it is a serious mistake," he insisted. "Every alternative is a legitimate alternative. The State of Israel and the current government in the State of Israel are not ready to accept this with a stupid argument - why will we give the Palestinians a reward for October 7th. We don't give them a reward, we give ourselves a reward."
"For the residents of Gaza, right now there is only Hamas, it controls the strip." Gaza residents return to Khan Yunis after the withdrawal of the IDF/Reuters
"Right now our situation is deteriorating, we are talking about an existing negotiation. The war is over, and victory is not at hand," continued Igra. He does not pin hopes on the seemingly imminent military action in Rafah. "There are problems with maneuvering in Rafah, mainly the evacuation of the population and the international agreement. Israel is not in a bright place in the international arena."
Igra is worried about the price that Israel may pay as part of the hostage deal, "The price has not been discussed in the Israeli public, none of us knows what the price is being offered, even today. The significance of this regarding the future of the State of Israel should not be overstated. The time has come for the public to have its say in this matter. We were not told what the price was in the Shalit deal, we found it out on October 7. We must know what the price is, because we will all bear it - it is the price of all of us."
More on the same topic:
Gaza war
War of Iron Swords
abducted
Hamas
Gaza Strip