Israeli political commentator Daniel Mendel certainly thinks that the war in Gaza has ended in a historic defeat for Israel. But the war is not yet over. Hamas is crowing that it is still standing, but will it still be standing when the hostage-for-criminals deal is over, and the Israelis realize, to their horror, just how many of those “98 hostages” were murdered by Hamas? Will the IDF not again gird its collective loins and reenter the Gazan cities it has pulled out of, in order to destroy whatever weapons Hamas may have managed to keep from being seized by the IDF, and to kill what remains of its combatants, including the estimated 15,000 new recruits — young and inexperienced in war — that Hamas now claims to have attracted? Mendel thinks the deal Israel has made is a “tragic and historic mistake.” He is convinced that the release of so many terrorist murderers will cause tremendous numbers of Israeli casualties in the future. He may be right. More on Mendel’s rage and despair at this lopsided exchange can be found here: “Israel’s Hostage Deal Is a Tragic and Historic Mistake,” by Daniel Mendel, Algemeiner, January 29, 2025:
The Gaza hostage-ceasefire deal is a massive and crippling defeat for Israel. There is no other way to frame it.
After 15 months of fighting, the best deal Israel could secure was releasing 57 Palestinian criminals and murderers for every Israeli hostage.
Judging from a partial list of those being released, it seems very likely that far more than 98 Israelis will die as a result of this deal.
It is also clear that Israel has failed in its war aims to eradicate Hamas from Gaza and replace it with a new government. The war didn’t establish a deterrent to future terrorism; in fact, this hostage deal will likely *increase* the risk of terrorism, especially hostage-taking.
As Palestinian Media Watch has pointed out, the seeds of the October 7 massacre were planted in 2011, when Israel exchanged 1,027 Palestinian terrorists and murderers for one living Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit.
The terrorists released in 2011 went on to kill or aid in the murder of more than a thousand Israelis, and planned the October 7 massacre itself. (Yahya Sinwar was one of those released in 2011; similarly, many terrorist leaders and masterminds are being released this time).
The Gilad Shalit deal taught the Palestinian people one critical lesson: kidnapping Israelis works.
Now, once again, Palestinians are seeing the fruits of their labors with the absurd release of 1,900 Palestinian terrorists and prisoners for 33 Israelis (who aren’t even all alive).
Of course, we all want to see the 98 Israeli hostages come home — but the definition of insanity is to repeat the same policy and expect a different result; yet, that’s exactly what Israel has done….
It was such a difficult choice. The pressure on Netanyahu from hostage families was enormous, and it seems that President Trump was intent, no matter what the cost to Israel, to seeing that a “deal was done” by the time he took office and could take credit. The Prime Minister caved, although he did reserve the right to renew the war against Hamas should the terror group violate its commitment to return all of the hostages and to halt its barrages against Israel. Now we shall see if, as Daniel Mendel says, this lopsided swap turns out to have been a “tragic and historic mistake,” with many of the freed terrorists returning to terrorism, or whether the requirement that the worst of them be sent neither to Gaza nor to Judea and Samaria, but to other Arab countries, will have been enough to keep them from being able to harm Israelis again. I hope that Daniel Mendel turns out to be wrong. I fear that he will turn out to be right.
Buraq says
Won the war, but lost the peace!
John1 says
If Israel had the death penalty for murder, there would be no prisoners who were guilty of murder to exchange.
These men and women are not POWs. They don’t wear uniforms and dress in civilian clothes.
carpediadem says
Correct. The lesson learned from this war, that Trump forced israel to accede to losing, is to never have terrorists as prisoners again.
Kill on sight or when captured.
Trump may be good for America.
He is not good for Israel, but then neither was Biden.
This constant treatment of Israel and Israelis as negligible pawns is disgusting,
And rebuilding Gaza? For what, more murderers?
JS says
Israel and the whole world must get tough on Islam. Their “holy book” is a murder manual with very specific instructions on how to fool us, bully us, and wear us down. I’ve read it so I know.
The fact that the US, Israel, or any nation allows those that worship (like fanatics) an Islamic supremacist monster pedophile “their perfect man to emulate”, should be their disease – not ours! Freedom of religion is not meant for an instruction guide to “kill them wherever you find them” or to upload their threats to their mosque YouTube channels – threatening the US, our laws, our religions, or our president!
There is only one thing to do and that’s to expel them except for the few that can prove otherwise. No mosques should exist in this nation either or students in our universities. Why are we teaching them tools to eliminate us?
Can anyone here name a moderate Muslim nation? I’ve looked for decades and my answer is no. They are also liars and deceitful and cannot be trusted. They also teach lies to their people. None of them know history, just lies and excuses and blame for the whole world.
It’s time they take care of themselves. Let those that only SIT on oil take care of their coreligionists. Why do we cater to their every need when their sole desire is to destroy us? And that is their dream in life and always has been.
St Croix says
Wow! Quite the tirade, and very accurate. While I say not all Muslims are all that devout, (and thus don’t care much about Islam) many are. And it is very difficult to say who is who, because of Taqqiya and the propensity of humans to change this way or that.
Overall, Islam IS a plague. We are certainly better off without it. The teachings are anti-enlightened, and go against the values the Western nations were founded on, whether or not they still admit it, Christian, Judeo-Christian, values are the ones that teach fairness and individual human rights, property ownership, telling the truth, protecting the vulnerable–all the things they use against us. Islam is just not simpatico with our values! Let’s get that through our skulls!
Barry Morgan says
Absolutely correct!!!
carpediadem says
The issue is not Islam. The issue is the West funding it and protecting it.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
I do think questions ought to be asked of President Trump on what promises exactly did he make to muslims in Michigan in order to secure their vote
Ben Smit says
No war was declared. It was Israel’s way of dealing with criminals (terrorists) who murdered, raped and abduct Israeli citizens AND demand money for their release. At best it could be part of Iran’s ongoing surrogate war on the Jewish state.
msakell says
Propaganda lives on! Hamas has been literally been blown off the map, thanks to IDF, and Hizbollah is hanging on for dear life, nuclear ambitions in the garbage bin, while Iran seems to be willing to help….the Kurds in Syria! Nyetanahu has been proven to be a leader with no match for resolve and Israeli power. The existential threat to Israel is by ISLAMOFASCISM and, although, diminished lately, it threatens the border of terrorist-Jihadist and Turkish-supported “president” al-Jolani-Sharaa’s 35% control of Syria.
President Trump should help Israel and its worthy allies, the brave men and women Kurds in northern Syria and make sure that the Islamofascist Sultan Erdogan does not exterminate the Kurds. He owes to the Kurds for their heroic fight against Islamist forces that are a distinct existential threat to Israel.
Assad will prove to be “Mother Teresa” (as NSA yet-unconfirmed brilliant director Lt.Col.Tulsi Gabbard implied during her confirmation hearings where she openly defied the hostile ignorant Senators who questioned her. She said that the danger is ISLAMIST fighters now in SYRIA which, as she said, is now “ruled” by Islamist Al-Qaeda terrorist al-Jolani-Sharaa — for whom a $10Million Reward was posted until last month(!) for his capture as an Al-Qaeda /ISIS terrorist. The Turks made sure he invaded 35% ofSyria!
Trump should give all assistance needed to Israel to survive the new existential threat from Islamofascist Jihadist “Syria” and help the Kurds survive the genocide planned by Erdogan!
Tony says
EVERY Muslim terrorist should have been given the penalty for their Muslim terrorism and murderous crimes against Israel and Non-Muslims, especially since Muslims take hostages to use to gain release of Muslim criminals in Israel as taught in Islam’s Quran. Islam is a MUSLIM TERRORIST ORGANIZATION against Non-Muslims and NOT A PEACEFUL RELIGION UNDER WESTERN LAWS(Quran 2:216; 4:95; 8:12,39,74; 9:5,29,41,49, 21:921; 88,111,123;21:92; 49:15 and more). More specifically, Islam is a Muslim Terrorist Ideology and Criminal Organization of continuous war, discrimination, segregation, supremacy, genocide, polygamy, deceit, hatred, incitement, sedition, rape, terrorism, and violence against all Non-Muslims as taught in the Quran. Fundamentally, Islam funds, teaches, and promotes a Terrorist Criminal Enterprise with Muslims as Terrorists for Allah. The FRUIT of Islam is incessant WAR, terrorism, discrimination, and violence against all Non-Muslims; this FACT must be taught and broadcast to the general public to prohibit Islam, its Mosques, and its Schools. Also, Islam is an Antichrist System terrorizing Israel, Christians, and Non-Muslims. Plus, there is NO EQUALITY UNDER THE LAW in Islam or in Islamic Law(Quran 98:6-7; 9:29 and more). In Sahih Bukhari(V6,B60,N80), Abu Huraira narrates, “‘You(Muslims) are the best of peoples ever raised for mankind.’ means, the best of peoples for the people, as you bring them[Non-Muslims] with chains on their necks till they embrace Islam[see Quran 3:110].” See also Quran 3:22,151; 69:30-32; 98:6.
Non-Muslims CANNOT have peace with Islam and its Muslims because Islam and its murderous god, Allah, demand a continuous, Muslim war against unbelievers where Non-Muslims are CRIMINALS under Islam when Allah in Qur’an 8:39 says, “And engage in war with them[Non-Muslims] until there will not be sedition and the religion will be completely to Allah…” HENCE, NON-MUSLIMS MUST MAKE ISLAM, ITS MOSQUES, ITS SCHOOLS, ITS ORGANIZATIONS, ETC. ILLEGAL UNDER THE LAW. Similarly, Islam and its many Organizations must be identified and publicly declared to be MUSLIM TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS for their funding, teaching, and support of terrorism, violence, and discrimination against Non-Muslims(eg. Quran 9:5,29,111 and more).
Western Muslims seek to ensure Islam’s legitimacy against Non-Muslim societies, to impose Islamic Law in Western Legal Systems, and to advance Islam’s totalitarian goals. Consequently, Islam promotes a limitless, terroristic, Muslim war against unbelievers when Allah in Qur’an 49:15 says, “Surely the believers are only those who believed in Allah and his messenger. They do not doubt, and they performed JIHAD with THEIR MONEY AND THEIR LIVES for the sake of Allah. Those are the truthful.”
Barry Morgan says
Yes, definitely!!
Princess says
I don’t think that PM Netanyahu has given up on the three goals that he stated; freeing all hostages, destroying Hamas politically and militarily, and making sure that Hamas never poses a threat to Israel again.
Tony Rice says
It IS a lop-sided deal, but not over yet.
James Hoagland says
This war is a forever war because the Muslims are out to conquer the world. That’s all one needs to understand. Islam is a blood cult and most likely the home of the what many refer to as the anti-Christ. It is without doubt a demonology and no one raised with any sense of decency and common sense could ever embrace this falsehood.
Jwn says
So… the latest is that one Jew (even a dead one) is worth 57 Palestinians. and Hamas is proud of this?