HAMAS'S ALAMO

With Al-Shifa Hospital in the IDF’s sights, a new opening emerges for an exchange of hostages and prisoners between Hamas and Israel—and a possible settlement of the war

An aerial view shows the compound of Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City on November 7, amid the ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. / Photo by Bashar Taleb/AFP via Getty Images.

Hamas, with its leadership in flight and its fighters surrounded and outgunned in sniper fire near the still standing hospitals in Gaza City, has begun talking about an exchange of Hamas  prisoners in Israel for the hostages it captured in its surprise terrorist attack on October 7. The initial proposal went nowhere but Israeli officials were more than willing to talk. The last minute Hamas offer suggested that many of the hostages are still alive.