Israel and Hamas exchanged prisoners for the fifth straight day on Tuesday as the extension of the initial four-day truce appears to be successful despite the two sides blaming the other for briefly violating the ceasefire earlier in the day.
Hamas released 12 more hostages, including 10 Israelis and two foreign nationals. Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said the Israeli hostages included one child and nine women.
In exchange, Israel released 30 Palestinians from prison, including 15 women and 15 children. The new exchange brings the total number of hostages released by Hamas to 81 and Palestinians freed by Israel to 180.
However, Israel has been arresting Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem nearly as fast as it is releasing prisoners. According to Palestinian prisoner groups, in the first four days of the truce, when Israel released 150 Palestinians, 133 Palestinians were arrested in the occupied territories.
“As long as there is occupation, the arrests will not stop. People must understand this because this is a central policy of occupation against Palestinians and to restrict any kind of resistance,” Amany Sarahneh, spokeswoman for the Palestinian Prisoners Society, told Al Jazeera.
“This is a daily practice – it’s not just after October 7,” she added. “We actually expected more people to be arrested during these four days.”
The hostage deal truce is set to continue for at least one more day, although CIA Director William Burns is in Qatar discussing with Israeli and Qatari officials the idea of expanding the arrangement. According to The Washington Post, the US is pushing for a deal for Hamas to start releasing men and military hostages.
The Post report said the maximum truce it will agree to would be a total of ten days and requires Hamas to continue releasing at least 10 hostages per day during that period. Israeli officials have vowed to expand military operations in Gaza once the ceasefire is over.
Any mention of ending the fucking war?
A good question. IMO, Israel has no clear cut definition of “victory”. This lack of vision could mean a long “Vietnam” style war complete with unobtainable mission creep. Israel should forget the notion of destroying Hamas and concentrate on getting the hostages back. Israel message should be the war ends when all the hostage are accounted for and released.
That was the purpose of the capture of the hostages by Hamas. To exchange the 240 (who knows how many now because, according to one of the hostages released, the IDF bombing has killed at least 50), for the 5,000 in Israeli jails. According to several released hostages, who Israel is making sure they don’t talk about it any more, Hamas “terrorists” treated them humanely, attended to their medical needs. Israel is also trying to put a cap on the information that their own IDF killed a bunch of their own at the Kibbutz and at the rave.
Yes,beatings and threats on the part of Hamas are very humane.
Israel doesn’t give a shit about the hostages. The only reason there was a pause was because Israel was losing support amongst the international community. The onslaught will continue with the US’ blessing and weapons.
Sorry I don’t believe that Israel does not care its hostages.
I should have been more explicit. The Israeli government doesn’t give a shit about the hostages. I would expect the average Israeli to care very much.
Israel sacrificed time and momentum to get a few of the hostages back.
Yes, and for the reason I gave and NOT because they care about the hostage’s fate.
The snake has more then one head. It is a hydra. If puts a good face in the form of the lull in the genocide, while the other faces continue the genocide in the form of shutting off electricity, potable water, food, fuel, pumps. Palestinians cancer patients are dying a slow death. IDF and settlers are still killing Palestinians in the West Bank. The Zionists are trying like h*ll to deflect the news of them killing Israelis on 7Oct23 (including poster child who was blown to bits by two tank shells from the IDF tank, and, those at the rave who were blown to bits by Israeli Apache helicopters). American media is aiding by not putting those facts front and center. The snake has more in store once the prisoner exchange is done. Much, much more.
I hope the US is paying attention to this… If Israel continues to “arrest”
Palestinians, women and children alike, the potential for things to get more out of hand, is right on the horizon…
Nothing will come out of this. Those thousands murdered will continue to be murdered and no one will be held accountable for. This is our reality.
I believe Norman Finkelstein when he was asked what will be done when the “war” is over. He said…..nothing will be done. It will be forgotten, just like Cast Lead “operation”, and Protective Edge “operation”. He predicted that the Palestinians who were not killed would be herded through the Rafa crossing and to the Sinai desert, whhere they will live in tent cities graciously provided by the UN, and then die. All will then be forgotten.
no one will be held accountable
We will – like we did on 9/11.
Hamas should ask for a hundred Palestinian prisoners freed for every Israeli soldier…!
“However, Israel has been arresting Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem nearly as fast as it is releasing prisoners.”
And here’s me thinking just maybe these Zio-nazi types are at least capable of honoring a minimalist deal.
… WRONG AGAIN, bob!
With every passing day Israel loses the initiative…
And support. Their paid politicians are looking for the nearest exit.