To what extent did the presence of living hostages in Gaza hamstring the IDF in its war against Hamas?
That has been one of the key questions since October 7, and yesterday, we not only saw a stark demonstration of the IDF’s freedom of operation now that all living hostages are home—but it also raised disturbing questions for Israelis about the prices they’ve paid in Gaza.
As part of its strikes in Gaza yesterday, the Air Force destroyed a tunnel that Hamas terrorists used to launch attacks that killed 10 IDF soldiers during the war. So, did the IDF simply not know about the tunnel until now? The exact opposite is the case: Israel knew about the tunnel, but chose not to strike it because Elkana Bohbot and another hostage were being held there.
This, of course, presents a deeply uncomfortable reality.