Part 5/11:
The leadership presented a unified front in rejecting a phased approach to hostage releases, opting instead for an all-or-nothing gamble that Hamas rejected. This unilateral stance has alienated some military and intelligence leaders, who favored a more incremental strategy. Public opinion has shifted, with polls indicating that many Israelis now favor negotiated solutions for hostage recovery over total eradication of Hamas—a realization that the long-standing conflict may be more complex than initially believed.