The war of civilization, which has been waged in recent decades between Israel and Palestinian terrorist organizations in Gaza and the West Bank, reached its peak on 7 October. The war of the Sons of Light against the Sons of Darkness, the objects of life versus the temples of death. But if we look at war from the enemy's point of view, we will understand that there is something much deeper and more rooted in it. For years, Hamas prepared itself for the Al-Aqsa Flood War. Not only by formulating military plans, training and stockpiling huge stockpiles of weapons. Hamas – with its leaders, fighters and operatives – has diligently studied Israeli society, its strengths and weaknesses. What strata is society built from, the rifts that exist within it, the division into ideological camps and their worldview. One basic and important value of the people of Israel that Hamas has come to know intimately – mutual responsibility. But what is perceived in Israeli society as a sacred value and a moral obligation is identified from the perspective of Hamas members as a weak point. Not just any weak point, but a point of failure for Israeli society as a whole.
Because if the enemy desires life, then he is weak, and if he is willing to sacrifice himself for the good of his people, then he can be harmed. It is on this value that Hamas built its terrorist campaign. The need to hurt the soft underbelly of Israeli society, the need to push it to the edge by posing dilemmas from hell.
The heart is torn in the face of the suffering of the families of the abductees, it is difficult to digest the testimonies of those returning from captivity. The Jewish-Israeli heart seeks to envelop, embrace and share in the pain of these heroes. But looking at the situation through enemy binoculars shows a different picture. The Israeli public discourse, especially the media, feeds and empowers Hamas. He draws strength from it, not to mention pleasure and a sense of victory.
Yahya Sinwar and Mohammed Deif (the one who recently turned out to be standing on his own two feet) are updated on every detail on the ground, read the Israeli newspapers and watch the studios closely covering from sunrise to sunset the disputes in the political leadership, the arguments between government ministers and senior military officials, the calls to change the government and its leader now, and the protest for the return of the hostages now.
Hamas will do everything to intensify the divisions in Israeli society, to dig and deepen the cracks in the "Zionist enemy." He knew that kidnapped civilians – women and children, young and old – were his strongest weapon. More than the rockets, more than the Nukhba terrorists. The abductees are Hamas' breathing air. The organization's leadership also knew, based on prisoner exchange deals conducted by Israel in recent years, especially that of Gilad Shalit, that the abductees would become a symbol, and that anyone who wanted to release a symbol had to pay a high price. Senior members of the organization identify who is more "important", who receives attention and arouses emotion, and then it is precisely him (or them) - not to let go. Suppress any information about their situation at worst, publicize psychological terror at worst.
Hamas will do everything to intensify the divisions in Israeli society, to dig and deepen the cracks in the "Zionist enemy." He knew that kidnapped civilians – women and children, young and old – were his strongest weapon. More than the rockets, more than the Nukhba terrorists
Hence, the Israeli public atmosphere, which includes pressure, urgency, anger, a media campaign and a public protest that represents a completely humane position – "bring the hostages home now" – all allow Hamas to dictate the pace of negotiations. They allow him to demand unprecedented compromises from Israel, and even to put the mediators, Egypt and Qatar, in a kind of helplessness. Because if Israel wants "here, now and immediately," then Hamas has endless time and patience. They waited 16 years for this campaign, what do they see as a few more months to achieve the goal?
Cultural perception is the difference. When we examine the next steps, we must remember that in the eyes of one side the value of life is strength, in the eyes of the other side it is a weakness that must be exploited. The Nazis thought so in the 40s, Hamas believes the same idea today. A large part of the Israeli public sees the release of the hostages, even if at any price, as a victory in the war. In practice, due to Hamas's distorted point of view, this will be damage to consciousness for generations.
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