Big deal: prisoner release ratio lowest in decades

Folks, if you're anything like me, you've been following this whole Gaza hostage tango with the enthusiasm of a root canal. But here's a plot twist that doesn't involve exploding pagers: Israel, in a move that's got more restraint than a vegan at a steakhouse, is set to release 1,700 Palestinian security prisoners in exchange for 48 hostages—20 of whom are possibly still breathing. And get this: it's the lowest ratio of bad guys for good guys in decades, according to Walla. Because apparently, even in hostage poker, Israel is playing not to get fleeced.

The final list is a paltry 195 lifers, with only 60 being Hamas operatives. For context, and oh boy, does this sting for the tunnel-dwellers, in the infamous Shalit deal back in 2011, Israel coughed up 450 Hamassholes, including some of the biggest names in the "murder Israelis for fun and profit" club. This time around, however, the 1,700 Gaza detainees who will be released will not be the terrorists who raided on October 7, 2023, and the release of Hamas operatives has been limited as much as possible. 

Shin Bet, you magnificent ba$tard$, take a bow.

These spooks didn't just draw lines in the sand; they etched them in granite. Right from the start, they laid down the law on who wouldn't be strolling out of the slammer, and Hamas's tantrums be damned. The terror outfit's wish list included their top 25 bigwigs, think Yahya Sinwar's rotting corpse and his brother Muhammad's, too. Nope. Vetoed faster than an ADHD rabbit on Red Bull. 

Shin Bet's no-fly list clocked in at about 100 names: Hamas brass, bomb whisperers, infrastructure honchos, and, God help us, the child murderers. Yeah, those scumbags like the PFLP thugs who killed the entire Fogel family back in March 2011. Yoav, 11; Elad, 4; their three-month-old sister; and parents Ehud and Ruth, hacked to bits. Only the older kids survived that nightmare. Those evil pieces of human excrement are still rotting where they belong.

Hamas was hot to get their A-listers out of Israel's prison but the Jewish state drew a line in the sand, wider than Jerry Nadler's butt, and said "no way" to the whole crew. For examples:

Ibrahim Hamed—Hamas's West Bank military wing boss during the Second Intifada, the evil scumquat behind suicide blasts that turned Cafe Moment in Jerusalem and the Sheffield Club in Rishon LeZion into charnel houses. Dozens killed and Hamed gets to stay where he belongs.

Ahmed Saadat—Secretary-General of the fightin' Hamassholes of the West Bank, the poster boy for plotting the hit on Minister Rehavam Ze'evi. They've been begging for this asshat since Shalit and through every ceasefire whimper this war. No dice Ahmed.

Marwan Barghouti—Palestinian rock star from the First Intifada, Tanzim ringleader in the West Bank. Convicted for a laundry list of Israeli murders. Symbol of "leadership," sure, like Joe Biden was the symbol of brilliance. 

Hassan Salameh—Senior Hamas suit, architect of bomb attacks that left dozens of Israelis in body bags. He gets to stay too.

Abbas al-Sayed—Head of Hamas in Tul Kerem during the Second Intifada, the planner behind the Park Hotel massacre in Netanya. Dozens more gone. Oh, and bonus points for Shin Bet: No Israeli citizen prisoners in the mix would be released. That's another non-negotiable they hammered home, which likely had Benjamin Netanyahu behind that decision.

Sources close to the talks said that Hamas pulled every sleazy trick, [are you surprised] pushing for un-sentenced murderers and freshly nabbed threats, like the Hebron Hamas infrastructure chiefs the Shin Bet just kneecapped. Pressure applied. Repelled? Like a blind date with halitosis. 

These Hamas hopefuls are staying put, where they can plot in peace (from a cell).

Now, let's zoom out for the victory lap, because the Shin Bet team, led by deputies S. and M., current and ex, didn't just negotiate; they owned the room. Crunch the numbers, and this deal's a steal compared to history's hostage heists:

Jibril Deal (1985): Three live IDF soldiers for 1,151 prisoners—380 lifers. Oof.

Hezbollah Deal (2004): Three soldier bodies and one live civilian (Elhanan Tenenbaum) for 436 prisoners. Grim math.

Shalit Deal (2011): One live soldier for 1,027 prisoners (450 Hamas), including 279 lifers. The gift that kept on giving... to terrorism. That's the one Sinwar got released.

So, while the chattering classes clutch pearls over "proportionality," remember: Israel's not handing over the keys to the candy store. They're doling out scraps to the monsters, saving the real prizes for the gallows. In a world gone mad, that's what winning looks like. 

Now why doesn't Israel have a death sentence for these evil miscreants?

If you like Brain Flushings and want to Buy Me a Coffee, I would appreciate it, as it supports my work. Obviously, there is no pressure but I certainly wouldn't stop you. 

Tweet