One of the horrors of the current war is the holding of the hostages. Their predicament is hopeless because their freedom depends on some level of trust, and there is no trust.
Israel and Hamas are avowed enemies. Each is dedicated to the destruction of the other. There is no middle ground, no reconciliation, no peace. With this at each core, trust cannot exist.
Hamas has fully embraced the “civilian as a weapon” idea. To give up the hostages means giving up one of its most potent weapons. The hostages have been used as shields, and many believed as a bargaining chip. But without trust, there is no incentive to use this bargaining chip, and once it is used, nothing is left. Hamas does not trust that Israel will live by an agreement; they believe Israel sees an agreement as only the means to obtaining the release of the hostages, nothing more. Once the hostages are returned, Israel will continue to prosecute the war.
Israel has displayed its commitment to destroying Hamas. As Hamas cannot be appeased, it must be eliminated. Israel has a long memory and believes in retribution. It does not trust Hamas. Israel thought it could permit Hamas to exist as it did not pose an existential threat and accepted a tenuous ceasefire. Then, October 7 happened, and whatever trust existed was shattered.
A ceasefire is a lull until it ends, and the warring begins again. This is part of the cynical lack of trust, but it is one of the few things both sides can agree upon.
War is usually fought to capitulation. One side is defeated unequivocally. The victor then dictates the terms of surrender and peace over the vanquished. This may not be possible. But until these two warring parties have more to gain by ceasing hostilities and learning to co-exist, the death and destruction will continue.
I pray that the current negotiations might prove me wrong and that the hostages will be returned. And perhaps peace might be seen as an alternative to hatred and carnage.
