Despite threats from Hamas to suspend the release of hostages, Israeli Ambassador to Germany, Ron Prosor, has expressed optimism. “The Hamas is trying to delay everything to the last minute. That’s part of their psychological terror against Israel” Prosor told the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland”.
“But for now, I assume the hostage release will continue.” US President Donald Trump has increased the pressure on Hamas. Israel has withdrawn from the strategically important Netzarim Corridor and fulfilled its part of the agreement. However, agreements with Hamas are like a “pact with the devil”. Hamas had threatened to suspend the hostage release and justified it by citing delays in aid deliveries and the return of Palestinians to northern Gaza.
Perhaps Hamas is now playing for time to hush up the mistreatment of the hostages and prepare the transfer, Prosor said further. This is part of the survival struggle of the organization. “Hamas wants to demonstrate its strength to its followers, at the same time, it wants to downplay its crimes, because torturers don’t get to the negotiating table.” The pictures of the three latest released hostages showed how barbarically Hamas had treated them, Prosor said.
The three men, released after over a year of captivity, were severely malnourished and in a visibly poor state. Prosor stated that they were tortured.