Nightmare in Israel: Fears about the fate of more than 100 kidnapped people

These are unimaginable scenes: Palestinian terrorists invade Israel, run from house to house, shoot Israeli mothers, fathers, children, old people and kidnap more than a hundred into the Gaza Strip. Relatives continue to wait for signs of life from their loved ones days after the horrific attack.

“I don’t know if my daughter is lying bleeding somewhere, I don’t know if she was taken to Gaza, I don’t know if she’s suffering,” says Ahuwa Maizel. The last time she spoke to her 22-year-old daughter was shortly after 7 a.m. on Saturday morning. Her daughter Adi called from a music festival in the Negev desert and said: “There is a massacre here, they are causing a massacre, hundreds of terrorists are shooting around.” Then the connection was broken. It is now clear that at least 260 young people were murdered. Maizel suspects her daughter was forcibly taken to Gaza.

Hamas seeks prisoner exchange

Hamas deputy leader Saleh al-Arouri indicated Hamas’ intention to use the hostages for negotiations. Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons were “close to being released,” he claimed. According to the human rights organization Betselem, there are currently around 4,500 Palestinians in Israeli prisons, including 183 from the Gaza Strip. According to media reports, negotiations are already underway in the background. Israel did not confirm this.

Israel last entered into a prisoner swap with Hamas in 2011. In return for the release of an abducted Israeli soldier, more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners were released. The current Hamas chief in the Gaza Strip, Ismail Haniya, was also released in the exchange. In addition to Egypt, Germany was also involved in the negotiations. Efforts to reach another deal with Hamas have so far been in vain.

Expert: Too early to talk about liberation

Jochanan Zoref from the Institute for National Security Studies suspects that the prospect of a possible prisoner exchange was one of the main reasons for the type of attack carried out by Hamas. He considers the announcement that all prisoners should be freed to be “arrogant thinking,” but not out of the question. Another possible scenario would be military action, such as a ground offensive or international pressure on Hamas, he says. Either way, Israel faces an unprecedented challenge.

It is still too early to make predictions, says Zoref. The military’s first priority now is to get the situation at the border under control, then further action can be discussed. “There are still fighting between the military and Hamas fighters on Israeli territory,” says Zoref.

Netanyau’s government under pressure

However, the government is under extreme pressure to announce a decision soon. “It is extremely important for the Israeli population that the hostages are returned safely.” There is currently great anger among the population towards the government. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also knows this. That’s why talks about an emergency government with the opposition were ongoing in the background. “Netanyahu needs a broad coalition to make such a decision.” Netanyahu and the opposition leaders Jair Lapid and Benny Gantz had recently signaled their willingness. An agreement is still pending.

In general, it has not been so easy to swap prisoners in Israel since 2011, says Zoref. After the soldier’s release, there was a lot of criticism from the right-wing camp that 1,000 prisoners were released for an Israeli. Years later, a political decision was made that such agreements should only be made with a large majority in parliament. “That can of course be ignored, but it will also play into Netanyahu’s efforts to engage with the opposition.”

Netanyahu currently leads the most right-wing government in Israel’s history. For months she has been criticized for putting Israel’s security at risk for a planned, highly controversial judicial reform.

Horror in the Gaza Strip

Disturbing videos on social networks show what the hostages have to go through on site. For example, a woman is forcibly put into a car with a blood stain on her pants between her legs. Another video shows a lifeless young woman in the back of a car being spat on by Hamas supporters. According to Israeli media, numerous women are said to have been raped before being killed or abducted. Further footage shows small Israeli children being harassed and paraded on the street by residents of the coastal strip.

In response to the Hamas attacks, Israel launched a large-scale offensive with air strikes on the coastal strip. A spokesman for Hamas’ armed wing claimed that four hostages were killed in the Israeli airstrikes. This could not be verified independently. Hamas had previously announced that it would distribute the hostages “across the entire area.” There is also an extensive tunnel system running under the densely populated coastal strip.

All Ahuwa Maizel can do is hope that her daughter is doing well, she says. The uncertainty was unbearable, the 54-year-old said through tears and appealed: “If someone holds you captive, please, please, stay human. We all have the same DNA, we are all just human.” Innocent people should not be abused for political purposes. “Don’t let this become another Holocaust.”