Overview
- Hirsch says Yahya Sinwar intended to keep Israeli captives as bargaining chips for up to ten years, framing negotiations as a long game.
- He describes multiple covert rescue missions that were canceled at the last moment to avoid killing hostages, noting only a handful succeeded despite hundreds of attempts.
- Hirsch recounts that a senior Qatari official oversaw a pilot release that led to the freeing of Judith and Natalie Raanan, followed by Yocheved Lifshitz and Nurit Cooper, which cemented Qatar’s mediator role.
- He credits U.S. involvement as essential and says Sinwar’s reported death in October 2024 narrowed Hamas’s options, while rejecting claims that political considerations delayed deals.
- Former hostages and families accuse him of mistreatment and political spin after his claim that protests aided Hamas, as he reports death threats, names Einav Zangauker, and initiates legal action, with some groups publicly defending him.