A heated public debate has erupted between two leading Israeli journalists over one of the most sensitive aspects of Israel's latest hostage deal with Hamas: Was this really the same deal that could have been reached months ago?
The controversy began when Ronen Bergman, a prominent reporter for both Yedioth Ahronoth and The New York Times, suggested that the current hostage deal largely mirrors earlier proposals. Citing a senior Israeli security official, Bergman wrote: "It's horrifying to think we could have signed all this long ago... this blood price, which is endless sorrow, could have been avoided."
This sparked an immediate challenge from journalist Tamir Morag, who accused Bergman of promoting a "misleading narrative." According to Morag, there's a crucial difference between the current deal and previous proposals: the number of living hostages to be released has more than doubled, from 11-12 in earlier negotiations to 23-24 in the current agreement.
The ensuing Twitter exchange revealed deep divisions over the facts of the negotiations, with both journalists claiming access to authoritative sources. Bergman, defending his reporting, cited "negotiation documents" showing that Hamas had been open to earlier proposals. Morag countered by referencing senior officials involved in the hostage negotiations and pointed to supporting statements from other journalists, including Bergman's own colleague at Yedioth Ahronoth, Yossi Yehoshua.
The debate took a particularly interesting turn when Bergman claimed that "the number 33 and the categories were agreed upon long ago," but the main dispute centered on the definition of sick hostages and the price for their release. According to Bergman, Israel ultimately made significant concessions, agreeing to release 110 life-sentence prisoners and 1,000 additional prisoners in exchange for nine sick and wounded hostages.
Morag challenged this version of events, demanding evidence of contemporaneous reporting that would support Bergman's claims. He also cited Channel 12's Daphna Liel, who reported that IDF Major General Nitzan Alon had told the cabinet that "the number of hostages to be released increased due to Netanyahu's insistence in negotiations."
The dispute highlights the challenges of reporting on sensitive negotiations, where different sources can provide contradictory information, and the stakes of getting the story right are extraordinarily high. It also underscores the tension between public accountability and the complex realities of hostage negotiations.
The exchange has drawn significant attention in Israel, where the details of hostage negotiations remain a matter of intense public interest and debate. The outcome of such negotiations could have profound implications for the families of those still held captive in Gaza.
As of this reporting, Bergman has yet to provide the "many publications" he claims would support his version of events, while Morag continues to press for evidence that would substantiate the claim that Hamas had agreed to release the same number of hostages in earlier negotiations.
The debate continues to unfold on social media, with observers closely watching for any additional evidence that might help clarify the true sequence of events in these critical negotiations.
[Note: This story is based on a public Twitter exchange between the journalists and reflects their stated positions as of January 18, 2024.]
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