What should the Israeli government do?

No I don't. Because ultimately the problem is Iran and absolutely nobody wants to start that skip fire.

Israel doesn't like the UN because unlike the US who only says what serves their own interest, the UN actually tells them the hard truths they don't like to hear

@EasterIssland spot on what you were saying
In the Guardian today

Finally someone else talking sense
@MrTiddlesTheCat do you really think that Israel will achieve this?
Maybe you do and that is your opinion but there are an increasing amount of people who do not

Hamas might stop but Hamas is behind an ideology and many years of pain from Palestinians. Unless this pain is eased and their lives acknowledged Hamas will continue and if it’s not hamas then it will be Hamas v2.0 with a different name. Until this is fixed there will be more blood from both sides

Hamas' stated aim is the murder of 16 million people. Hamas must be stopped. Hamas can stop the bloodshed immediately by surrendering themselves.

Except they are still bombing the south

Some posters really don't understand how a ceasefire will prevent more bloodshed?

IDF stop dropping bombs > Gazans aren't killed in the explosions

There you go.

It isn't meant to be a long-term solution, and frankly it doesn't matter if you view them as collateral damage or "civilians will always be harmed". If it happens now, innocent people don't die and a long-term solution can be worked on and hopefully quickly found.

‘Hamas will release the hostages if the Israelis stop fighting’

That’s not a request for a ceasefire from Hamas, it’s a demand that one side stops. The same Hamas leader also denies that any Israeli civilians were targeted on 7th October. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-67321241
So how can there be any possibility of solutions when this is the attitude?
It’s like the IDF saying no innocent civilians will be harmed in Northern Gaza, because they will all have moved south as instructed.

Exactly! Why does that have to be spelled out?

I don’t see how a ceasefire will [...] prevent more bloodshed.

This, literally, only makes sense if you completely disregard Palestinian deaths and their blood being shed!

The whole point why so many people are calling for an urgent ceasefire is precisely because of the insane levels of bloodshed happening - all mid-to-long-term considerations notwithstanding!

I don't think a ceasefire is the answer either.

Which post ? My last one is adding some info to a reply to your comment about safe corridors and how Israel is not respecting these safe corridors so it might not be relevant to the thread but it’s a reply to your comment

@MrTiddlesTheCat

I can also see where you are coming from which is why I don’t see how a ceasefire will solve this or prevent more bloodshed.

It’s extremely difficult

It's pure fantasy.

I have no idea what the solution is beyond knowing that nobody is safe until Hamas is gone.

It works both ways too. If I were Palestinian I wouldn't feel safe in Israel when they actually seem to be going about exterminating them. Bombing refugee camps, bombing places they are telling people are safe zones,starving everyone of food, water and aid, not to mention what is happening in the West Bank. A release of the hostages on both sides and a ceasefire is the only logical way to stop the killing now and that needs to be a priority. As far as I am aware, Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire and to release their hostages if Israel does the same but I am open to correction on that.

@EasterIssland the question posed on this thread is ‘what should Israel do’? It is a hypothetical question. I’m not sure how your post is relevant to that

@MrTiddlesTheCat

It is not a perfect solution, absolutely high risk and dangerous. The alternatives also are terrible. What are your ideas?

Like these ones probably

So you expect Israel to agree to open its gates during a war and risk allowing in those who want to exterminate them?

@Oliotya

I definitely see that. The problem is - then what happens? Will the hostages be set free, will the tunnels in Gaza be emptied of weapons, will Hamas stop the attacks against Israel, etc. How can this be resolved if Hamas is not stopped? I genuinely don’t know the answer.

Well now surely you can see why lots of people think ceasefire is the only choice.

@MrTiddlesTheCat

In that case there should be a safe corridor through Israel run but the UN. Extremely risky and dangerous but the answer can’t be that they are forced to stay in a warzone. Again, I am no expert and there may be all kinds of reasons why this is not possible. I think this thread is about exchanging ideas.

What are your suggestions?

@MrsSkylerWhite

I don’t really follow your point- I am not suggesting the population is put in harm’s way but instead that more is done to protect them from war.

I would be interested in ideas that others have regarding what Israel ought to do, which is what this thread is about.

Egypt has already totally ruled it out and is keeping the Rafah Crossing closed to prevent it. So where do you think this safe corridor should go to?