Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's options for hitting Hamas over its deadly incursion into Israel could be reined in by concern for the many Israelis seized in the raid, as a nation scarred by past hostage crises faces perhaps its worst one yet.
launched from Gaza on Saturday, the Palestinian group Hamas stormed into Israeli towns, killing more than 600 Israelis and escaping with dozens of hostages, in the deadliest day for Israel since the 1973 war.
More than 300 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's response, as warplanes hit sites across Gaza. It was typical of Israel's immediate retaliation when faced with an escalation. In addition, thousands of troops have been deployed in southern Israel next to Gaza, which Israeli forces withdrew from in 2005.
For Netanyahu, securing the freedom of hostages comes with painful personal memories. In 1976, his older brother was killed rescuing hostages at Entebbe airport in Uganda, an action the younger Netanyahu said shaped his future life. Israel responded by sending agents to kill the men it considered masterminded the attack, in an alleged covert operation that lasted years. Several Palestinians were assassinated in various locations in Europe and the Middle East.Gaza presents a different scale of challenge.
Hamas deputy chief Saleh al-Arouri told Al Jazeera the group now had a large number of Israeli captives - Hamas has not given any numbers so far - saying there were enough to secure the release of all Palestinians prisoners.If Israel agreed to releasing all of them, it would be a huge win for Hamas and other militant groups - and for that reason be a politically difficult bargain to make for Netanyahu or any Israeli leader.
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