Blaine Holt to Newsmax: Be Grateful for Any Hostages Released

Hamas is using the hostages it took in the October attacks on Israel as "weapons" and if a four-day cease-fire agreement in Gaza pans out, "we're going to be grateful for whatever we can get in terms of getting a hostage out," retired U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Blaine Holt, a former NATO official, said on Newsmax Thursday.

"Hamas is using these people and the heartstrings of their families as weapons," Holt said on "Wake Up America."

The agreement for a four-day cease-fire and the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas and Palestinians imprisoned by Israel has hit a snag, and a senior Israeli official said the cease-fire now will not start until Friday, a day later than had been planned.

Qatar also confirmed the cease-fire will start early Friday.

"There were serious flaws in the execution plan as to how they were going to get this done," Holt said. "Hamas has publicly stated that they only have control of the 50 that they're going to give up and that other groups have control [of the others]."

But once Hamas gives up the hostages, "they've lost all their leverage and then the Israeli army is going to right after and delete them," said Holt.

Retired U.S. Army Col. John Mills, also appearing in the segment, added that the negotiations, being handled by Qatar, are complex and that the United States is involved in the talks because some of the 240 hostages are Americans.

Israel, meanwhile, wants two Hamas commanders who are on the ground, as well as the Hamas leader, who is in exile in Qatar, said Mills.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an interview with Newsmax Wednesday that Hamas has been facing "tremendous military pressure" from the Israeli army and also political pressure but vowed that Israel won't quit fighting until it gets all the hostages out and destroys Hamas.

Mills said the United States wants to see a peaceful resolution, if possible, but still, "We want Americans back that are being held as part of that 240."

"But history has shown that Israel will be relentless in pursuing these three personalities and all members of Hamas, so this is not over by any stretch," Mills said. "Israel, if it takes decades, will pursue and eliminate these three and all of Hamas. [It] knows that and they're stretching and stretching this out as much as possible and the negotiations."

Holt also commented on the news that the son of a senior Hezbollah lawmaker, Mohammad Raad, was killed Wednesday in an Israeli counterstrike in south Lebanon along with several other Hezbollah members in a strike house in Beit Yahun.

While he said he does not think Hezbollah will launch an entire front based on the loss, the Islamists are increasing attacks, including introducing "new forms of weaponry from Iran into the mix."

"The Israelis are stepping up," Holt added. "We actually have a second front. We don't need someone to tell us that. Hey, I wonder if there'll be a second front. What I worry about is expansion up into Beirut if they start to go after high-value targets up there."
Meanwhile, he noted that polls show that 75% of the Palestinian people support the elimination of Israel.

"That's what we should be being talking about because we're moving the conversation off of Hamas," he said. "That's exactly what Hamas wants … there's no easy that Benjamin Netanyahu can politically survive this if the campaign to eliminate them is not resumed. Hamas is doing its best to control the narrative here."

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