Though Hamas, in many cases, was the main obstacle to achieving an end to this terrible war, the US is proud of its role in mediating. With a deal agreed upon, the hostages will return home and Israel will be more secure. Nonetheless, the implementation of the agreement must be done correctly.
The staged release ceremony, complete with propaganda displays and forced statements from hostages, reveals Hamas' continued exploitation of the situation for political gain. The group's threats to delay releases and demands for additional concessions show their attempts to manipulate the cease-fire terms.
While the media has spent a ludicrous amount of time criticizing the release of hostages from Gaza, freed Palestinian prisoners show clear signs of torture and poor treatment. Palestinians are starved and beaten while in Israeli detention, yet this gets almost no media attention. Likewise, as Netanyahu works tirelessly to find any loophole to sabotage the cease-fire, the media remains silent.