Rami Igra, the former head of Mossad’s Prisoners and MIA Division, discussed the ongoing hostage deal negotiations in an interview on Radio 103FM.

Igra expressed great skepticism that a hostage deal could be reached. “I suggest that we all look at the basic situation – Hamas looks around and sees that the whole world is starting to put pressure on Israel. European countries are almost at the point of demanding a humanitarian ceasefire and then from there, an end to the war. Canada announced on Tuesday that it won’t export weapons to us. A survey recently conducted on social networks in Gaza shows that Hamas is getting stronger, not weaker. And considering that Hamas’s basic goal is to survive and return to its condition on October 6th so it can become stronger, rebuild itself, and fulfill its goal of the destruction of Israel, it is quite clear that Hamas has no real interest in reaching a deal with Israel, certainly not at this stage.”

“Hamas is waiting for the world to stop the war, for the State of Israel to bring it upon itself, and then it will engage in hostage negotiations from a completely different position, from the position of the survivor. Israel wishes for hocus pocus, a deal ‘now.’ I detest the word ‘deal.’ Israel is waiting for some kind of hocus pocus but Hamas will only agree to deals with a price. There’s a whole delusion here, it’s unclear as to why it is being carried out and who is conducting these negotiations. But that’s where we are.”

Igra was asked if Israel has the right to give up on a deal and he said: “Israel can’t give up but it must act with wisdom and not necessarily with popularity. The State of Israel in its actions is submitting to the will of the Americans, to the will of Israelis to see hocus pocus, a deal. But what is it all about? The release of a tiny portion of the hostages versus the release of murderous terrorists, an action that will significantly strengthen Hamas in Yehudah and Shomron and Gaza. The Palestinians will learn that they can engage with Israel only with force, and most dangerously – abduction becomes a Palestinian national sport.”

“The State of Israel must change the abduction paradigm. Anyone who has blood on their hands and is released from an Israeli prison as part of a deal must meet his death shortly later. On the day of his release, he can decide what is better, three meals a day or to die in another two weeks. About a year ago, detained Palestinians who were in Israeli hospitals were granted permission to be released to Gaza. None of them accepted the offer because it’s better to die here than there.”

“You have to remember, this release is not just about people, it’s politics. What we did in the Shalit deal is colossally strengthen Hamas among the Palestinian population, both in Yehudah and Shomron and in Gaza. What we’ll accomplish with the next deal, if there is one, is among other things, to cause Hamas to become very, very strong. That has implications and a price in blood, as was the case with the Shalit deal.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)