Let me respond to that. Thank you so much for the questions.
Hamas seeks to advance political pressure on Israel. Hamas leaders were quoted in The New York Times after October 7, saying they believed their attack was an extraordinary success. Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas official in Doha, said that as a result of October 7, “We succeeded in putting the Palestinian issue back on the table”.
That's why it's a success and that is why they continue to not release the hostages—