Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a press conference at IDF headquarters last October.Credit: Abir Sultan, AP

Wednesday night, Channel 12 News’ Yaron Avraham, presented a comprehensive report detailing all of the hostage negotiation deals that have been proposed since November, when the last, and only, successful exchange took place.

Presented as a detailed timeline of the last 11 months, the investigation includes never-before-seen documents and previously unheard conversations which highlight Netanyahu’s relentless attempts to “Torpedo the Deal,” as the segment is titled.

The report began with footage of the 81 Israelis and 24 foreign passport holders who were released from captivity over a six-day deal that began on November 25, 2023. The images of Red Cross vans and family reunions in the hospital, of nine-year-old, Ohad Munder, playing with his beloved Rubik’s cube and four-year-old, Avigail Idan, enjoying a popsicle, transport the viewer back to that one euphoric week, when Israelis were glued to their televisions every night and all hope was not lost.

The report picked up with Hamas breaking the deal, when instead of returning the agreed upon next group of hostages, the terrorist group offers the bodies of seven dead hostages, along with two men and one woman who are alive.

According to a high-ranking official involved in the negotiations, Hamas informed Israel that the women who were meant to be freed have died. “But we knew for absolute certainty they were alive,” the source said. “Hamas was testing us. And we knew if we played into their hands, they would kill the female hostages.”

Mia Leimberg holds her dog while she and other hostags are handed over by Hamas terrorists to members of the Red Cross, as part of a hostages deal between Hamas and Israel last November.Credit: REUTERS

Hamas also told Israel that three of the civilian hostages, Mia Schem, Romi Leshem Gonen, and Carmel Gat are being identified as soldiers, thereby rendering them ineligible for return. Around the same time, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Betzalel Smotritch began speaking out publicly against another cease-fire deal.

Over the next nine months, Avraham reported, Israel’s negotiation team was sent on what is ultimately a futile mission to secure another deal that would bring home more hostages. Along the way, the investigation demonstrates, Netanyahu did everything in his power to make sure they are not successful. He repeatedly prevented them from traveling to cease-fire talks, or greatly limited their negotiation powers when they are allowed to go.

He walked back several promises he made, including an agreement to end the war, and invents new “non-starters” that were previously never mentioned. He changed his mind, he denied, and he shifted blame to anyone he possibly can. And throughout all of this, he has ministers like Smotrich and Ben-Gvir threatened to leave his government, if a deal moved forward.

Yarden, Shiri, Ariel and Kfir BibasCredit: Ofri Bibas’ Facebook page

Which brings us to September 1, when Israel was racked by the news that six hostages have been executed by Hamas, their bodies rescued by IDF soldiers. Three of the murdered hostages, it was revealed, were set to be released in the latest deal.

A photograph of the captive female spotters, days after their abduction.Credit: Spokesperson of the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.

This is where Channel 12’s investigation concluded – with images of the list of hostages meant to be returned, should another deal ever come to fruition. On the list are Kfir and Ariel Bibas, the red-headed children whose whereabouts remain unknown, the five female spotters seen in the kidnapping video, as well as the names of dozens of other hostages whose friends and families are hoping that Netanyahu and his coalition will put aside their political agendas and free their loved ones from captivity.

Rachel Fink