It is lunacy to continue to negotiate with terrorists for 2 or three people at a time. Does Israel really intend to do this for the next decade? Hamas can never return all the hostages because they know they will all be killed at that point. The problem is the policy of never negotiating with terrorists should have been declared and adhered to.
But with rewarding Iran for returning hostages, trading an arms dealer for a basketball player, trading terrorists and getting some loser that joined the other side in Afghanistan. Etc. was all a sign that we will bargain at any cost to save just about anybody.
Kill them all and declare if you ever take a hostage again you the only negotiation is how you are going to die. There is no other end game when somebody wants to wipe you out. There is no compromise or off ramp.