Overview
- Hirsch says Hamas, led by Yahya Sinwar, intended to leverage Israeli captives for up to ten years and in closed talks demanded Israel’s total surrender while preparing further operations.
- He describes multiple covert rescue missions that were aborted at the last moment to avoid likely harm to captives, noting many hundreds of attempts to reach hostages but only a few successful military rescues.
- He recounts that Qatar assumed the mediator role after a senior official oversaw a pilot release that freed Judith and Natalie Raanan, with subsequent help from Egypt and essential U.S. involvement.
- Hirsch says he initially withheld precise figures as counts fell from about 3,200 missing to 1,060 and then to 400, and he built a roughly 2,000-person operation before the office closed following the recovery of Ran Gvili’s remains.
- He argues public protests and some media messaging helped Hamas by creating a sense of urgency, drawing a sharp rebuke from released hostage Or Levy, while Hirsch insists urgency was high and rejects claims of political interference.