The attack on Israel by Hamas led to the deaths of thousands of innocent people, and over 230 Israelis and foreign nationals were taken hostage.
As of February 12th, 2024, Hamas still held 134 hostages, many of whom are elderly and suffer from medical issues.
In early 2024, Israel reached an agreement with Hamas to deliver medicine to hostages held in Gaza. In exchange, humanitarian aid was provided to Palestinian civilians.
But several American citizens were taken hostage by Hamas as well.
Which is another reason the U.S. government has played a role in negotiations to bring home the hostages.
In the early stages of the conflict, the U.S. government said that all options for bringing the hostages home were on the table.
And U.S. officials actively assisted in the development of tactical options with international partners.
At the beginning of the conflict, Hamas made it nearly impossible for tactical operations to physically rescue the hostages.
The U.S. government believed that negotiating a deal with Hamas was the best way to get the hostages back home.
However, the U.S. military is always developing tactical plans in case circumstances change or a window opens to make a rescue attainable.
But even if the U.S. gave the go-ahead on a rescue operation, it wouldn’t necessarily be carried out by U.S. soldiers.
What I mean is that the U.S. has likely developed plans with Israel and other countries.
Israeli forces would likely be the ones to carry out tactical plans developed and approved by the U.S.
One security expert said, “I would be surprised if you didn’t see some form of hostage rescue for some of the members that aren’t getting negotiated out.”
The reality is that the U.S. has the best military in the world and members of the U.S. special forces are some of the best at rescuing hostages.
But, over the past few decades, hostage-takers have challenged the ability of the U.S. government to free hostages.
Considering this, here are a few of the ways the U.S. government responds to hostage takers and what we can learn from it.
Don’t negotiate:
The U.S. government has a policy of not negotiating with terrorists.
But this isn’t exactly true, as we have seen recent Presidents do it.
If a loved one is kidnapped, you need to be careful how and when you negotiate.
For instance, the kidnappers will likely call the person who is closest to the victim (for example a spouse or child).
This can be emotionally overwhelming for the person who the kidnappers contact.
For this reason, you want to pick one person to handle the negotiation.
This should be a member of law enforcement.
But if that’s not an option you should choose a family member or close friend that is the least emotionally invested – which is tough to find.
Material support:
U.S. law prohibits the government from providing material support in exchange for the release of hostages.
But again, there are ways the government skirts this law.
Whether or not to pay a ransom for a loved one’s release is a personal decision.
If you decide to make a payment there are things you need to do first.
For example, every time the kidnapper contacts you it’s best to talk to the victim to make sure they are alive and well.
When you talk to the victim, talk about things that only they would know.
You want to discuss recent events to ensure the voice is not a recording.
Some kidnappers will ask for money just to speak to the victim. This is something you should never do.
Don’t provide any money or materials unless it’s for the release of the victim.
Work with others:
Contact local law enforcement immediately if a loved one has been taken hostage.
But there could be times when law enforcement is no help, such as if you are in a foreign country.
Of course, you should contact U.S. officials to inquire what help they can offer.
However, you still may not have any choice but to turn to private security contractors.
The U.S. government works with private entities to locate and rescue hostages, and you should do the same.
Private companies will work on your behalf for a price, and you can contact private security companies until you find one that can help.
Unfortunately, you might have to take the lead and hire capable people to get involved if no one else is willing to help.
But what if you’re the person who’s taken hostage? How can you help yourself get rescued?
Thankfully, there are a few simple spy secrets you can use to aid in your own rescue.
And your captors will likely not even pick up on anything you’re doing.
But you’ll help lead anyone who comes looking for you directly to you.
