By EDUARDO PAZ-MARTINEZ
McALLEN, Texas | Well, they should be home for the weekend. Israel's Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu and leaders for the Hamas terrorist group have agreed on return of 50 Israeli hostages and 150 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for a ceasefire in the monthlong war that has largely destroyed Gaza.
It was good news for Israel, a respite for Palestine.
The much-bombed Palestinians can use the break, but they know that the deal comes with a stipulation that the war will proceed after the ceasefire. Four days is the initial offer, but it could then be extended, according to the agreement.
This from axios.com: [ The Israeli government and Hamas announced separately on Tuesday they have agreed to a Qatar-mediated deal in which the militant group will free dozens of Israeli hostages in exchange for a four-day pause in fighting in Gaza and the release of dozens of Palestinians held in prisons in Israel.
The deal, once implemented, will be the biggest diplomatic breakthrough and the first major pause in fighting since the war began.
In the first phase of the two-phase deal, Hamas is expected to free at least 50 Israeli women and children held in Gaza, while Israel is expected to release about 150 Palestinian prisoners, mostly women and children over the four-day pause.
Israel will allow around 300 aid trucks per day to enter Gaza from Egypt. More fuel will also be allowed in during the pause in fighting, according to an Israeli official.
In the second phase, Hamas could release dozens more women, children and elderly people. The Israeli government said it would extend the pause for every additional 10 hostages released. "The starting time of the pause will be announced within the next 24 hours and last for four days, subject to extension," Qatar's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The Israeli Cabinet approved the deal after more than five hours of discussions. ]
Return of the hostages is a good thing. Perhaps it's even the beginning of the end of this crazy war.
One can hope...
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I thought Israel was supposed to be a Democracy of sorts. If they are arresting people simply for making social media posts expressing solidarity for the citizens of Gaza - that to me sounds like a Totalitarian government. No wonder Israel has no problem threatening U.S. citizens for expressing their free speech.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't that long ago (the 1930s and 1940s) that the Jewish people were victims of the very same thing that Israel now represents.
It all comes down to this. The land of Palestine belongs to the Palestinian people and has for 1400 years. When it was handed to the Jews, it meant the forced displacement of nearly 1 million Palestinians. Since 1948 Palestinians have been in a persistent refugee crisis. The surrounding Arab nations and Egypt have graciously taken in as many Palestinian refugees as they can, but Israel keeps taking more of their land. The Netanyahu administration has stepped up the harassment and dehumanization of the Palestinians even further. Palestinians are not permitted to enter Israel, much less live there. Israel restricts food, water, electricity and other resources to Palestinian territories.
DeleteIsrael has set the stage for the violence of Hamas. This is not excusing 10/7. However, any populations that is oppressed long enough will lash out violently. Israel MUST act in ways that will create conditions for peace. Israel cannot fight this war alone forever, and this WILL soon become regional, if they do not create conditions for peace.
All good points, but we can't always live with history as our map. Yes, Palestine was forever abused by the Truman Administration with that 1948 statehood for Israel. And Israel has done its damndest to encroach ever closer to Gaza. You have to want to live in peace - and these two do not, for good reasons on both sides. God will answer...
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