Yaron Blum, former Hostage Coordinator for the Shin Bet, addressed the prolonged hostage release negotiations and outlined steps needed for a breakthrough. "Sadly, the hostages aren't at the forefront of public discourse," Blum told Radio 103FM. "A year has passed, and it's unbelievable how life goes on. The discourse here is divisive beyond comprehension."
He continued: "Sources close to the matter say there have been several opportunities. Each time, a new obstacle emerged. Despite security officials' recommendations, political leaders keep encountering roadblocks that delay negotiations. It's worth noting that Sinwar has been out of contact for the past two weeks. The Hamas negotiators, like Khalil al-Hayya, who were conducting talks independently, are now backing off."
Blum then commented on waning American influence in the negotiations. "The Americans want to avoid failure that could hurt Kamala Harris. The U.S. doesn't want to damage the Democratic Party's election chances. To move forward, we need a new approach. We should arrange a 'mini-summit' with Netanyahu, Biden, al-Sisi, and Qatar's leader," he suggested. "This might create a different level of commitment. It could resolve differences between various parties, and maybe even prompt Turkey to pressure Hamas. The hundreds of thousands of protesters are important, but that alone won't bring the hostages back."
"Factually speaking, Netanyahu made the Shalit deal, so he needs to make a deal here too. This is a national disaster. We can't forget there are also hostages who've been held for ten years. We have young people, babies, and elderly who've been in Hamas captivity for almost a year. The longer this drags on, the harder it'll be to create leverage against Hamas," he concluded.
