S3 E7. Release of 18 Hostages from Hamas Hell

We were fortunate to catch up with State of Tel Aviv regular and now a globally recognized A+ commentator and analyst on the Israel-Hamas conflict and more—Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus (Res.). He spoke to us on Saturday evening—after a very busy day doing media in Israel and abroad. The hostage release has been a spectacle unlike any other—when an Islamist terror group commands center stage on media worldwide—showcasing their grotesque propaganda machine and what appears to be surprising military prowess after 16 months of war. Hamas, which produced and choreographed three of the four release “ceremonies” to date, has shown the world that it remains a strong fighting force with discipline, might, and well-fed and outfitted terrorists—sartorially and in terms of weapons. Its smaller ally—Palestinian Islamic Jihad—demonstrated that they are far less “together.” During the release they organized last Thursday, two Israeli hostages, who had been held in isolation throughout their captivity, were nearly lynched by a braying mob that surged towards them. Conricus and I get into it all: who won, who lost, and what this all might mean for the rest of the hostages and the horrible war that never seems to end. And we also discuss the unfortunate reality that for months the Government of Israel rebuked its citizens for gathering at weekly rallies in support of the hostages and their families. It showed weakness, we were told, and the rallies played into the hands of Hamas. I never understood that analysis, but here’s what we know today: that those rallies were covered on Arabic radio and TV—and many hostages knew about them. And that advocacy was an invaluable morale booster for those in Hamas dungeons. It’s always fascinating speaking with Mr. Conricus. I expect you will find it so as well.

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Jonathan Conricus is a senior fellow with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington D.C.-based think tank. He served in the IDF for 24 years, four of them as spokesman during the intense 11 days of the Guardian of the Walls Operation between Israel and Hamas. Now a reserve officer with the rank of Lt. Col., he is a sought-after speaker internationally and is frequently seen on major television news shows. Jonathan was born in Jerusalem to a Swedish father and an Israeli mother and spent his formative years in Sweden.

Jonathan Conricus on X: @jconricus

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