Respected news editor Yair Altman, from Israel Hayom, provided a situational assessment about Hamas and the fate of the Israeli hostages today (Monday):
Here's what he said:
"Hamas no longer poses a real threat to Israel. It might be able to fire a rocket here and there, [but it can't fire] barrages. It can't organize a significant attack on our forces, let alone on settlements. And [it's important to] note - our forces are in Gaza. They haven't withdrawn. This is the most suitable time to ambush and attack IDF soldiers, when there's a routine that can be learned, and it's hardly happening because there's no capability. From a respectable arsenal of missiles, drones, naval commandos, and what not - almost nothing remains of this organization.
Regarding the hostage issue, no solution has been found yet, neither military nor diplomatic, because Sinwar doesn't want a deal. And we need to tell the truth - There's no deal because there's no one to talk to right now. Hamas rejected all offers, and I'm not saying this - the Americans are saying it. Still, I have no good answer as to why we're not entering the central camps and other places, going tunnel by tunnel, until a complete victory and the elimination of Sinwar. Apparently, it's due to an unwillingness to harm the hostages and waiting for an operational/diplomatic opportunity to arrive, in order to release some of them. And here too, we must tell the truth - no deal and no IDF activity will release everyone. Because they serve as insurance for Sinwar's survival.
So [although] Hamas has been defeated and won't be able to carry out October 7th again, like any growth, all cancerous cells must be destroyed or they'll regrow, so we've won [in a sense], but no victory is complete without the return of the hostages."
