Born and raised in the southern Israeli town of Dimona to a Muslim Arab family, Lucy Aharish is currently one of the country’s leading news anchors. In this conversation with Bari Weiss, Aharish speaks frankly about her own experiences, from being the only Arab in her school, to surviving a terrorist attack during the first intifada, to the morning of October 7. She speaks with equal frankness about the politics and society of Israel, a country to which she is fiercely loyal. Most interesting, perhaps, is her reaction when asked about Israel’s simultaneous identity as a Jewish and democratic state: to Aharish, there seems to be no tension between the two. (Video, 63 minutes. Note that there is some occasional strong language.)

Hamas declared yesterday that it won’t release more hostages “until further notice.” Given the timing and wording of the announcement—several days before the release was supposed to take place, and speaking of a delay rather than a halt—Ron Ben-Yishai concludes that it is a negotiating tactic, aimed at “creating a temporary crisis to gain leverage.” Therefore, writes Ben-Yishai, “Hamas may reverse its decision by Saturday.” He adds:

Israel cannot afford to concede to Hamas’s demands beyond what is already outlined in the agreement, as doing so would invite continuous extortion throughout the negotiation process, further delaying hostage releases.

The group sees the public outrage and growing calls for action following the release of hostages in severe medical condition as an opportunity to extract more concessions. These demands include not only a rapid start to negotiations on the next phase of the deal and an end to the war but also smaller, immediate benefits, particularly improved conditions for displaced Gazans.

Beyond these tactical objectives, Hamas has another goal—one that Israelis do not always recognize: inflicting psychological pain on the Israeli public. The group benefits from, and perhaps even draws strength from, the anguish and emotional distress in Israel, as well as the testimonies of freed hostages detailing the abuse they endured. Hamas wants these stories to be heard—not only to pressure the Israeli government but also because, in the eyes of its supporters, Israel’s suffering is its ultimate victory.