The Israel Defense Forces says public discussions about the state of captives held in Gaza has moved into reckless territory, urging those responsible to knock it off.
“The conversation around the issue is irresponsible, inaccurate and should be avoided,” the IDF says in a rare statement.
The pushback is apparently in response to comments from US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller Monday that Hamas terrorists likely held back on freeing female hostages because it did not want them to speak publicly about being subjected to rape and other sexual violence.
By itself it is a weird thing to say, like I thought the usual strategy (and apparently the Israelis’) is to publicly assume good behavior so they have something to lose.
You can say this situation is different, but still the only use for that kind of speculation is to emotionally load support for Israel (which is already high), and it may certainly further endanger the hostages, regardless of gender.