The Times of Israel 17, January 2025
With hostage deal, Netanyahu is going all in, on Trump

The prime minister is risking a schism with his closest political allies to advance a deal with Hamas.
He has good reason to think it’s worth the gamble

A great many Israelis, especially on the right, are horrified at the costs Israel will pay in the first phase:
a 1,000 Palestinian prisoners released, some of them arch-terrorists and murderers.

The hunt for Hamas in Gaza — that long, painful degradation war that has exacted a high cost from Israeli soldiers and families and a much higher one for Gazans and, they believe, must not end with Hamas still in power — will grind to a halt and may not be easy to restart.

If the deal is signed, these Israelis believe,
1. Hamas will survive the war,
2. its forces will be bolstered,
3. its reputation restored,
4. its future control of Gaza all but assured.