Houston man, whose relative was once a Hamas hostage, considers future of war in Gaza
HOUSTON - A Houston man is among those with a passionate interest in the ongoing standoff between Israel and Hamas.
Hanan Yadin is a Middle East and terror expert we've relied upon for years based upon his experience with the Israeli military and Shin Bet counter-terror organization. Last October 7, when Hamas killed or captured hundreds of Israelis, his experience became very personal.
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"We learned very quickly, after this barbaric act, that one of our relatives, who was 85-years-old, was taken hostage," says Yadin.
Yadin says nearly every Israeli was touched, in some way, by the October 7 attack. But more-so, for his family, when a relative was among those taken hostage from a Southern Israel kibbutz, and spirited away to Gaza.
There was great relief when the elderly woman was among two who were released weeks later for humanitarian reasons. News that six other hostages, including an American-Israeli, were executed before they could be rescued was sadly, not a surprise.
"I was extremely devastated, but not shocked, because I know who Hamas is," says Yadin "They will not spare anybody."
Widespread demonstration in response to the hostage deaths is further pushing Israeli sentiment away from long-held beliefs and actions that the country did not negotiate with its enemies. Yadin believes negotiation may now be an inescapable necessity to deal with the anxiety and tension of an unsettled co-existence with Israel's neighbors.
"You can't find 'moral' on either side: not from the Israeli side and not from the Hamas side," says Yadin, "Which means everything that needs to be done in order to bring this war to the end, and to the best result that Israel can find to save human life."
There are still 101 hostages, alive or dead, being held by Hamas. Hanan Yadin believes the weekend executions have prolonged any opportunity to bring the war in Gaza to a quick end.