Israel hostage negotiations ‘futile effort,’ former diplomat says
- Hamas is holding more than 200 hostages in Gaza after an attack on Israel
- Four have been freed as negotiations continue over the release of more
- Ex-hostage affairs envoy has little hope entire group will be let go
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(NewsNation) — Israel says more than 200 hostages are being held by Hamas after the Oct. 7 attack that killed more than 1,400 Israelis.
Robert O’Brien, a former special envoy for hostage affairs and former national security adviser in the Trump administration, believes negotiations are a “futile effort.”
“The people that have them have shown such depravity already,” O’Brien said Tuesday on “CUOMO.” “It’s hard to have too much hope for the hostages; having said that, I wish the negotiators and the third-party countries and Americans who are involved in those negotiations the best.”
Hamas has only released four hostages up to this point, two Americans and two elderly Israeli women. International negotiations have intensified to secure the release of more, and Israel has delayed an expected ground invasion of Gaza.
President Joe Biden has urged Israel to use restraint in its retaliatory strikes against Hamas, and the Israel Defense Forces maintains it does not intentionally target civilians.
“Whether their restraint will result in the return of the hostages I think is unlikely,” O’Brien said.
The Israeli military has dropped leaflets in Gaza asking Palestinians to reveal information on the hostages’ whereabouts. In exchange, the military promised a reward and protection for the informant’s home.
“It’s not surprising that they’re using the hostages as leverage, it’s not surprising that they’re using hostages as human shields,” O’Brien said of Hamas.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
