However painful it is for the hostage families and embattled civilians, this forthcoming pause is bad tactics and a bad deal for Israel.

During the pause, Hamas will certainly regroup and resupply to some degree which will make them a more formidable opponent which fighting resumes. The extra fighting that will be required will extend the duration of the overall operation and will likely take more lives than the the 50 hostages being exchanged.

That aside, making this deal

- validates hostage taking as a viable strategy
- will make the Pro-Hamas propaganda even more intense when Israel resumes the conquest.
- will allow Hamas to first fill its belly on the additional fuel and humanitarian medical and food aide that will flow in during the pause.
- will inevitably cost the IDF some of the momentum it was accumulating
- leaves Hamas with three more batches of 50 hostages with which to gain future pauses to relieve the Israeli pressure on its neck

Israel should just press on with its campaign and accomplish the goal of the operation just as soon as possible. The US and the rest of the world should recognize the necessity to get it over with and give Israel the space and time to do what needs to be done.

I heard reports that the deal includes a provision that will limit Israeli use of drones on future battlefronts once the fighting resumes. Outrageous, this is war for gods sake. It would be insane for Israel to give up any military capability especially a valuable tool such as drone surveillance and offense.

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