Israel arrests people, including women and children, all the time for no other reason than to discipline their families to keep them in line. That’s the trade. Do as we say, fall in line and don’t resist, or we hurt your family. Those are hostages, and this is a practice that Israel have engaged in for far longer than Hamas.
I think hostage implies a desire for a future trade, which isn’t the case for prisoner.
I wouldn’t put it past the IDF to arrest people to use as bargaining chips like this, though.
Israel arrests people, including women and children, all the time for no other reason than to discipline their families to keep them in line. That’s the trade. Do as we say, fall in line and don’t resist, or we hurt your family. Those are hostages, and this is a practice that Israel have engaged in for far longer than Hamas.