"Hamas will want to exact the highest possible price for the release of the Israeli captives it is holding. Therefore, Israel's first and immediate task is to appoint someone who will deal exclusively with this matter, 24/7, a gentle person suitable for this challenge who will be dedicated full time.”
This, according to former Mossad director, Efraim Halevy, who spoke with IsraelDefense. Halevy spent many years dealing with the diplomatic aspects of Mossad's activities, representing the organization and the country in negotiations with various parties over the years.
A short time after speaking with Halevy, Prime Minister Netanyahu announced that he had appointed Lt. Col. (Res.) Gal Hirsch to handle the issue of the captives and the missing Israelis. It is estimated that Hamas is holding more than 100 Israelis. All government ministries will be subject to Hirsch's guidance on this matter.
"There have been reports of a proposal for the early release of women, the elderly, and children, but the Israeli government is not willing to negotiate with Hamas," says Halevy.
"With whom will Israel negotiate if not with Hamas? Refusing to negotiate means abandoning the lives of the captives. Even the worst government cannot avoid such negotiations. You need to talk to them and conclude the matter."
"Next on the agenda," says Ephraim Halevy, "is the establishment of a state commission of inquiry to investigate what happened starting Saturday. However, this is not an immediate matter; it should wait until the current events are concluded. After everything is over, there will be a need to clarify all the facts.
"You wake up on a Saturday morning and hear on the radio what has been happening in the south since the morning. It's been 50 years since the Yom Kippur War. At that time, I was the Mossad representative in Washington. I received warning signs of war ten days before it broke out; I passed it on to the necessary parties, and we all know the rest.
"I don't know how to explain what happened this week. I am not familiar with the facts, and I was not involved in any classified information, so I will not express an opinion on what happened at this stage."
