Israel's Hostage Envoy Admits Failures, Explains Gaza War Pace

Gal Hirsch, Israel's special envoy for hostage affairs, made a stark admission on Wednesday, stating that the nation has failed in its efforts to secure the release of the remaining captives held by Hamas. Speaking at Reichman University's World Summit on Counter-Terrorism, Hirsch also revealed that the IDF is deliberately slowing its military operations in Gaza to minimize harm to the hostages.

Hirsch's comments come as the IDF continues its offensive in Gaza, a campaign that has raised fears about the safety of the captives. He stressed that while a quicker military approach was possible, the IDF and the Shin Bet have opted for "careful combat" to avoid endangering the hostages.

"It’s clear that it was possible to maneuver [in Gaza] much more quickly," he said, "but with great effort, the IDF and the Shin Bet are conducting careful combat, which goes against the standard ways of employing military force." He added that Israel's procedures are constantly being refined to "avoid harming them in every possible way."

Someone to Blame

Hirsch directly challenged claims by U.S. President Donald Trump that a number of hostages may have recently died, asserting that Israel believes at least 20 hostages remain alive. However, he acknowledged the immense danger they face, noting they are in a "combat zone, in a dangerous place, in the hands of dangerous kidnappers."

The envoy placed the blame for stalled talks squarely on Hamas, accusing the terror group of deliberately stringing along Israel and international mediators throughout the summer. He maintained that Israel remained engaged in negotiations even after announcing its planned offensive on Gaza City.

"Hamas and its leadership, they are the ones torpedoing the negotiations," Hirsch stated. He also criticized the spread of Hamas's narrative within Israeli society, which he claimed was causing pain to hostage families and undermining efforts to bring the captives home.

Looking beyond the current conflict, Hirsch warned that allowing Hamas to gain strategic leverage by holding hostages could set a dangerous precedent for other terror organizations worldwide. He called for a "global war on kidnapping" to prevent the October 7 attack from inspiring similar acts across the globe.