Following the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in combat in Gaza last week, Israel offered safe passage out of the enclave to any Gazan who lays down arms and helps free the hostages. This offer is now accompanied by a particular reward: $100,000 in cash (or bitcoin) from the pocket of a famous Israeli entrepreneur.
"When you offer safe passage, immunity, and some money to build a new life, that becomes, as they say in 'marketing,' an offer you can't refuse," explained Daniel Birnbaum, former CEO of SodaStream, about his decision to add a monetary reward to the authorities' offer.
However, the offer has an expiration date: tonight at midnight.
Birnbaum admits that he didn't think much before releasing the video to the world, addressing the Palestinians in Gaza, stating that the time has come to end the war and that anyone who helps free one of the almost 100 Israeli hostages still in the enclave will receive $100,000 from his own pocket.
There are 97 captives from October 7th still inside the enclave, of which 34 are confirmed dead; while the Army has only been able to rescue 8 hostages alive and has recovered the bodies of 37.
"I have to admit that I launched this without a process because time was of the essence," said the businessman, who feared that after Sinwar's death, Hamas militants would react by killing the remaining hostages.
Therefore, Birnbaum did not coordinate with the authorities before launching his campaign (although he did seek advice from about twenty former military and intelligence officials), and now he asks for the Army's spokespersons to echo his message and convey it to the Gazans.
"I believe I have done the Government a favor, and they have to return the favor to me and the families of the hostages by embracing and promoting the message through the Arabic spokesperson channels and Daniel Hagari (the main military spokesperson), and by distributing flyers," he asserts. "I will pay for the flyers," he adds.
A hundred responses, a dozen leads
To date, the businessman has received a hundred responses to his message, mostly insults or threats. But at least a dozen messages could contain promising leads, and Birnbaum has forwarded them to the authorities.
The Israeli uses a digital translator to decipher the Arabic messages he receives, and in the coming days, he will hand over his phone to the security services to manage the process.
Even the initial deadline he set is not as strict as it seems.
"I come from the 'marketing' world," he explains, "where I learned that when you want to give the consumer an incentive to act, you have to set a small window because otherwise, they will think about it."
However, he has received so many offers, both inside and outside Israel, to contribute to the reward, that the initiative will continue after this Wednesday as a crowdfunding, which will also allow him to dissociate his name from the project.
"People accuse me of doing this for self-promotion, but I have never asked for any interviews. The media found out, and everyone wants to talk to me," he explains. "I will donate my phone (to the authorities), and they can do whatever they want," he concludes.
For Birnbaum, his case reflects the frustration felt by many Israelis as, after over a year of war, negotiations to free the hostages remain completely stalled, and the Government does not seem willing to revive them.
The businessman makes it clear that he mainly blames Hamas for the lack of progress but not without taking a dig at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: "You don't try to close a deal and then, on the eve of signing it, say that even if there is an agreement, you will continue fighting," he emphasizes.
Following Sinwar's death, US authorities (one of the main mediators, along with Egypt and Qatar) have expressed confidence that a new opportunity is opening to reach an agreement. But Netanyahu remains firm, and his messages make it clear that the war will continue, at least for now.
"I think people assumed that the Government would take the lead on everything related to negotiations to free the hostages," Birnbaum laments. After a year with no progress, he says, "enough is enough."