Former IDF Hostages Chief Details Psychological Toll and Failures in Hostage Efforts

Retired Brigadier General Moshe, former Israeli military official responsible for hostages and missing persons, spoke on Kan News about the emotional and operational challenges of his role. He described the heavy psychological burden, saying, "This responsibility grips your soul from within. You cannot just go to sleep knowing someone is suffering and relying on you to act." Moshe emphasized the difficulty of the mission, noting that dealing with hostages often means facing failures, with success in only a small fraction of efforts.

He expressed frustration over the gap between official government declarations and the reality on the ground, recalling that before October 7, he felt isolated as the one tasked with making "all efforts" to secure hostages. Moshe detailed the grave responsibility involved, including protecting hostages if alive and recovering remains if deceased, citing the end of the "Swords of Iron" war as an example of negotiating the return of fallen captives.

Addressing professional mistakes, Moshe admitted errors that harmed hostages, such as approving attacks that inadvertently killed captives or allowing operations in dangerous locations like Tel Sultan, where six hostages were killed. He said living with these mistakes is a lifelong burden.

Regarding negotiations during the war, Moshe lamented missed opportunities to secure hostage releases, stating intelligence indicated a small window of about 2% chance for an agreement, but Israel failed to capitalize on it. He called this a significant lost chance for earlier freedom of hostages.

The interview also touched on political criticism, including a victim's family member accusing the government of ignoring the hostage crisis and Prime Minister Netanyahu's dismissive attitude toward the October 7 attacks.