The hope of recovering the lives of hostages captured by Hamas terrorists in Gaza has come to an end. With this grim reality, Israel has pressed forward with its decisive military campaign aimed at dismantling Hamas entirely. A full-scale ground war is now underway, focused on Gaza City, as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) push ahead with their mission to eliminate the terrorist organization’s stronghold.
Even as fighting escalates, Hamas has attempted a propaganda move by releasing a poster that has sparked outrage in Israel. The poster, described by Hamas as a farewell tribute to the remaining hostages, portrayed 47 captives with their faces aligned alongside numbers for identification. Each hostage was symbolically renamed after Ron Arad, an Israeli Air Force navigator captured in 1986 and missing since then. The move, widely viewed as psychological warfare, drew anger in Israel, where officials saw it as a cruel attempt to exploit grief and despair.
The poster also carried derogatory remarks directed at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has resisted pressure to accept a ceasefire and hostage release arrangement that would have left Hamas intact. Sharp criticism was also aimed at the IDF Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, as Hamas sought to undermine Israel’s leadership while under attack.
According to reports in the Israeli media, only 20 of the 47 hostages pictured are believed to still be alive, while two are said to be in critical condition. The remainder are feared dead, underscoring the urgency of Israel’s operations. Hamas, through its military wing, the Al Qassam Brigades, has threatened that none of the captives will be returned, alive or dead, as long as Israel continues its Gaza offensive. Such threats reinforce Israel’s conviction that Hamas uses hostages as bargaining chips and has no genuine interest in their welfare.
Since the temporary ceasefire that lasted from January to March 2024, Hamas has released 30 hostages. These included 20 Israeli civilians, five IDF soldiers, and five Thai citizens. During that period, the group also returned the bodies of eight Israeli hostages killed in captivity. In May, one American-Israeli citizen was also freed. Yet these limited releases came at a heavy cost: Israel freed 2,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange, illustrating the asymmetry in negotiations and the leverage Hamas continues to exploit.
The release of the farewell poster now marks another stage in Hamas’s psychological tactics, even as Israel’s military campaign advances deeper into Gaza City. Israeli leaders have reiterated that dismantling Hamas’s infrastructure and ensuring the group can never again threaten Israeli lives remains the central goal of the operation.
Democrats voice opposition to $6 Billion US arms deal for Israel
Meanwhile, Israel is preparing to strengthen its defense capabilities for the long term, anticipating future regional challenges. The United States has notified the House of Representatives of a planned $6 billion arms package for Israel. The proposed package includes 30 AH-64 Apache helicopters, valued at $3.8 billion, which will double the number currently in Israel’s fleet, and 3,200 armored vehicles worth $1.9 billion. While the transfer of this equipment will take two to three years to complete, it reflects America’s long-term commitment to Israel’s defense readiness.
The timing of the deal is significant. Israel has intensified its offensive in Gaza while facing international pressure for a ceasefire, which leaders in Jerusalem argue would only embolden Hamas. Regional diplomacy has also been strained, particularly after Israeli strikes in Qatar targeting Hamas leadership disrupted ongoing ceasefire negotiations. Despite Qatar’s key role as a mediator, the United States has made clear that its priority lies in ensuring Israel’s ability to defend itself.
Opposition to the arms deal has emerged within sections of the Democratic Party, reflecting growing debate in Washington. However, Israel remains confident that bipartisan recognition of its security needs will ensure approval of the deal. Israeli officials stress that the ability to defend against terrorist threats not only protects Israeli citizens but also stabilizes the wider region.
As the ground operation in Gaza intensifies, Israel views the endgame as clear that Hamas must be dismantled so that future hostage-taking, rocket attacks, and cycles of violence are brought to a permanent halt. The farewell poster issued by Hamas is seen in Israel as further proof of the group’s disregard for human life and its reliance on propaganda, even as its military capabilities face unprecedented pressure. For Israel, the campaign is not only about rescuing its hostages, many of whom are tragically believed lost, but also about ensuring that no future generation of Israelis will be forced to endure the horrors inflicted by Hamas.
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