The Negotiator by Gershon Baskin

Freeing Gilad Shalit from Hamas

A behind-the-scenes account of the secret backchannel that helped secure the release of an abducted Israeli soldier from Hamas, this narrative traces delicate contacts across enemy lines, the political and moral dilemmas of prisoner exchanges, and the painstaking trust-building required to keep talks alive. It offers an intimate look at the improvisation, persistence, and cross-cultural brokerage that drive unofficial diplomacy, revealing how quiet, tenacious engagement can yield breakthroughs amid a seemingly intractable conflict.