To Secure Release of Hamas’s Hostages, Empathy Isn’t Enough

Hamas abducted more than 200 people during its brutal attacks in Israel last month. The group has released only four of these hostages so far. As Israel’s ground assault in Gaza continues, government leaders face tremendous pressure to do whatever it takes to save the lives of captives.

According to RAND’s Brian Michael Jenkins, past hostage crises don’t offer a prescription for how to bargain for human life. But history does provide some important lessons: Humanitarian appeals rarely work, and rescues are risky. Most hostages survive because ransoms are paid, prisoners are released, or other concessions are made.

“People holding hostages are seldom moved by humanitarian concerns,” Jenkins says. “They trade in lives. The terms we ultimately accept to secure a release reflect the importance we place on bringing back our own. Bargaining therefore is one-sided—there are no good deals made under duress.”

 
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