I think they assumed that Israel wouldn’t be so bloodthirsty as to put the hostages at risk, which would give them a bargaining position so that once they weathered the initial retaliation they would be able to get concessions such as allowing Palestinians to leave Gaza, ending the blockade of Gaza’s ports, ending Israeli control of Gazan water sources, etc.
But as we’ve all learned since then the IDF has an explicit policy to kill Israeli civilians if it looks like they’re about to be captured, and Israel’s political leadership simply aren’t put off by the possibility of killing every single remaining hostage in their campaign to flatten Gaza.
I think they assumed that Israel wouldn’t be so bloodthirsty as to put the hostages at risk, which would give them a bargaining position so that once they weathered the initial retaliation they would be able to get concessions such as allowing Palestinians to leave Gaza, ending the blockade of Gaza’s ports, ending Israeli control of Gazan water sources, etc.
But as we’ve all learned since then the IDF has an explicit policy to kill Israeli civilians if it looks like they’re about to be captured, and Israel’s political leadership simply aren’t put off by the possibility of killing every single remaining hostage in their campaign to flatten Gaza.