(1) The IDF captured 80 terrorists trying to escape Khan Yunis as part of the civilian evacuation. I have little doubt that others were successful in escaping; this is the cost of giving advance notice and allowing civilians to leave.

(2) Even the UN – at least, in a recent report – is now saying that many rapes were committed by Gazans on October 7:

A team of United Nations experts reports that there are “reasonable grounds to believe” Hamas terrorists perpetrated sexual violence, including rape and gang rape, at several locations during the terror group’s October 7 onslaught on southern Israeli communities.

It also says it found clear and convincing information that Israeli hostages in Gaza have been subjected to sexual violence and that this may be continuing.

The team — led by UN special envoy for sexual violence in conflict Pramila Patten — visited Israel between January 29 and February 14 on a mission intended to gather, analyze, and verify information on sexual violence linked to the October 7 attacks.

Too little, too tepid, too late.

(3) It is well known that the population of Israel that was attacked on October 7 was previously among the most leftist and dovish in that country. The aftermath has been political change:

The fact that the Hamas terrorists who invaded her kibbutz on October 7 wanted to murder everyone there came as no surprise to Irit Lahav, a peace activist from Nir Oz, where one in four residents were killed or kidnapped.

Even before the massacre, Lahav had entertained no illusions about Hamas. …

Yet she had always believed that Hamas’s actions were distinct from and unrepresentative of the wishes of the silent majority of Palestinian civil society — ordinary and decent people whom she imagined were concerned primarily with providing for their children and improving their own lives under difficult circumstances.

That belief was shattered on October 7, by what she says were “hundreds of civilians, including women and children, who followed” behind the terrorists, invading Israeli communities to celebrate and join in the pillaging, vandalization and destruction of Israeli communities.

“This wasn’t something I had factored in,” said Lahav. …

“After October 7, I realized I was wrong. Just as the Israeli government represents Israelis, Hamas represents the people of Gaza.”

Lahav, a travel agent who used to belong to a group of volunteers who would drive Palestinians in need of medical treatment from Gaza to hospitals in Israel, now believes that “all of the people of Gaza, all of them, hate us to a degree where they would murder babies and pillage our property with zero compunction.”

That’s a very extreme shift, and it’s not atypical. It’s profound. While I would say it’s not all the people of Gaza, I agree that it’s the vast majority. This is a very sorrowful realization, but it really is hard to deny at this point.

(4) On the Palestinian skill at propaganda:

(5) Hamas doesn’t know how many hostages are still alive. And although I think they know a great deal more than they’re saying, I actually do believe they don’t know about all of them. Here’s what they’re saying at the moment:

“Technically and practically, it is now impossible to know exactly who is still alive and who has been killed,” Naim stated, citing the impact of Israeli bombardments and the blockade on Gaza. …

Naim emphasized that the hostages are dispersed across various locations and groups, making it challenging to gather accurate information. He reiterated Hamas’s call for a ceasefire to facilitate the collection of data regarding the hostages.

Of course; it’s Israel’s fault that Hamas doesn’t know for sure about all of them. And of course Hamas would love to get this information and only needs a ceasefire so it can learn. What horse manure.

However, I do think they’re not sure where all the hostages are, and haven’t been sure from the start, because some of the kidnappers are freelancers.