A HOSTAGE negotiator has explained why saving captives from Hamas terror group has high stakes and how Israel needs to react.
Ex-Scotland Yard officer Scott Walker said the current hostage situation in Gaza "doesn't get any more serious" but urged Israel to remain resilient.
Analysing Israel's options, Scott acknowledged the risk of civilians being kept hostage and said he expects some form of negotiated prisoner exchange will take place in the near future.
He said that right now Israel is focusing on protecting its borders, mounting coordinated strikes and gathering intelligence.
He told The Sun Online: "From a hostage negotiation perspective it doesn't get more difficult than this.
"We've got hundreds of hostages, some of which are US and UK citizens, dispersed across what is effectively a war zone, being used as human shields, there are extreme threats as well coming from the hostage takers- this is a very difficult scenario because neither side wants to be seen to be negotiating with each other.
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"In the short term, Israel is looking to secure its borders, protect its citizens and eliminate any ongoing threats to itself.
"And at the same time, it will be working to try and identify and locate the hostages – one of which would be some kind of hostage rescue which is fraught with immense risk.
"It will potentially utilise third-party mediators such the Qataris or the Saudis to open up a back channel with the Palestinians to enter some form of negotiation."
Hamas fighters have abducted at least 150 civilians and threatened to execute them, in retaliation for Israeli airstrikes.
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The armed wing of Hamas on Monday announced it will also begin executing one Israeli hostage for every new civilian house bombed, without warning.
Heart-breaking footage showed a screaming mum clutching to her young sons as she was being dragged from her home by Hamas fighters.
Shiri Silberman-Bibas, 30, was hiding in a safe room with her nine-month-old Kfir and three-year-old Ariel before she was forcibly taken.
Speaking about the threats made by Hamas to execute civilians, Scott added: "It doesn't get any more serious than this. In all of my experience negotiating and kidnapping and hostage-taking, over many years, in every single case there were threats made by the hostage takers.
"And in some cases or most cases the threats were not carried out but they must be taken seriously in case they were.
"It really depends on what Hamas's outcome here, what is there desired outcome of the situation.
"Inevitably, prisoner swaps will be on the table as well, later down the line."
It comes as…
- More than 1,500 have been confirmed dead in Israel and Gaza and thousands more injured
- Israel hit back with heavy airstrikes in Gaza and has mobilised 300,000 troops for a full-scale ground invasion
- PM Netanyahu dubbed Hamas "worse than ISIS" and said Israel will crush them with "a force like never before"
- Three British citizens have been confirmed dead, while seven other Britons are missing
- Rishi Sunak called an urgent COBRA meeting to discuss the attacks
- A senior Hamas official reportedly said the group was open to a possible ceasefire after having "achieved its targets"
Meanwhile, Israel has urged civilians to flee Gaza as it prepares for an all-out ground assault to "crush" Hamas.
It unleashed a barrage of airstrikes overnight with the total death toll of the war reaching 3,000.
Hundreds lost their lives when the Palestinian militant group stormed the border on Saturday and massacred hundreds in a surprise attack.
Scott explains that negotiating with terrorists doesn't mean "giving into blackmail or threats"and that Israel needs to follow a pattern to ensure the safe return of hostages.
He said: "A simple overview of high-stakes negotiation between governments and terrorist group follows a pattern of, opening up contact, building a channel, engaging and building trust, agreeing parameters for talks and then enter into the details.
"This takes time, cannot be rushed and must be resilient enough to withstand setbacks and breaches.
" Negotiations fail when trust is missing. No guarantees that negotiation will work and usually only does so after many, many failed attempts."
It comes as three Brits have been confirmed dead and seven more are missing.
Scot Bernard Cowan, 57, was murdered by the terrorist group during the horror attacks on Sunday.
Corporal Nathanel Young, 20, who was serving in the Israeli Defence Forces, was confirmed dead on Saturday.
And Daniel Darlington, a UK photographer, was also killed after attending the musical festival that Hamas stormed.
Shocking footage showed terrified ravers fleeing the site, which was the first target of the invading terrorists – with some 750 people still reported missing.
Asked about the treatment of Israeli hostages by the Hamas group, Scott says that it all depends on the desired outcomes.
He said: "It might involve the hostages being used as bargaining chips in attempts to free Palestinian political prisoners, or it might be to demonstrate how they are still relevant by sowing fear and further instability in the region for their own gain.
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"This might be to destabilise the current talks between Israel and Saudi Arabia for example if Hamas feel like they’re being excluded."
Scott is the author of the Order Out of Chaos: How to become a World-Class Communicator and Win Every Negotiation.
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