The army is warning the settlers around Gaza that in the coming hours they will hear a series of massive explosions in Gaza.

If this sort of thing is ignored, I don’t see how there is any hope for a peaceful end to all this.

As I’ve said before, when extremism spreads or gains popularity, you have to ask under what conditions that was able to happen. It’s not good enough to put it down to the religious element alone (as significant as it may be). People need to be angry, disenfranchised or feel forgotten to turn to extremism. It happens everywhere, including in the UK, but doesn’t tend to gain traction because there aren’t enough angry/desperate/vulnerable people.

Making the conflict between Israel and Hamas purely a religious one means totally disregarding why people would turn to extremism in the first place. It’s not about defining Islamic extremism and looking at why that came about. It’s about exploring why people decide to join in. If we ignore why extremism spreads, it’ll just carry on spreading.

It's funny isn't it informing families to evacuate? Not really what you'd expect from an army allegedly intent on 'doing a genocide'.

“Israel's troops have established a foothold on the outskirts of the city - which is home to more than a million Palestinians - after days of intense bombing and artillery fire.” https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clyr7l0z9edo

I guess those troops plus the 60,000 reservists are just there to watch Hamas cause all the death and destruction.

Hamas blowing themselves up within crowds - it's how they roll.

Gaza has been designated an Occupied Territory by Israel since 2004.

But they never left the Palestinians alone did they? Look at the raids right left and centre, look at the number of under age CHILDREN held in prisons etc etc.

Are you confusing Gaza and the West Bank? They fully withdrew from Gaza.

Why are you calling Israelis near the Gaza border "settlers"?

I agree with both of you 😊

Katz has authorized the call up of the 60,000 reservists today after he approved the plan on how to conquer Gaza City so it's a race against time to get this ceasefire over the line.

Well, they clearly don't match mine, otherwise you wouldn't have posted the comment, would you?

Did I say that? I have not even shared my views!

This is what I mean by zero trust on either side.

Israel doesn’t trust Hamas that would return all the live hostages if it’s done over stages.

Hamas doesn’t trust Israel that they wouldn’t take Gaza city anyway & more.

I guess this is where we need other countries to act as guarantors that each side will do what they agree to do according to the terms of the ceasefire. The US could guarantee what Israel will do as Netanyahu wouldn’t dare fall out with Trump.

I’m attempting slight optimism too after our chat the other day and now a ceasefire might happen.

You’re right - there’s no official ‘no’ yet. I saw on the BBC (I think) that the right wing parts of govt had said he has ‘no mandate to agree to this deal’ but there wasn’t any specific source so I’m not really sure how much to think about that. Sadly, whilst we wait for any updates, Palestinian people are still in danger/still suffering. As are the hostages - from Hamas but also if Israel continue such wide spread bombing. I can certainly see why many of the hostages families aren’t happy with the IDF’s approach.

I can obviously see the argument for Hamas just handing back all the hostages in one go - it would be better for the hostages and their families, it would hopefully save more displacement in the coming weeks and perhaps we’d see an improvement in the aid situation, but I guess for the ceasefire to turn into an actual agreement to end the war, Hamas feel the need to keep some of the hostages. Horrendous to discuss people as if they are bargaining chips but that’s what Hamas are doing. I also wonder if the hostages were all returned whether that really solves Israel’s issue - they still want to defeat Hamas so why would they take the hostages back and then not continue on with what they seem to think is the best approach (flatten Gaza and control it).

Slipping back to my more negative ways here but I don’t think the return of hostages alone will end the suffering for Palestinians - I think the right wing elements of the party have made it clear that they’ll use their power to destroy Gaza, increase violence in the WB and cause a lot more pain and suffering.

What is - the fact that my views differ to yours? Fancy that, on a forum.

But they never left the Palestinians alone did they? Look at the raids right left and centre, look at the number of under age CHILDREN held in prisons etc etc.

Seriously, its every single post about Israel/Palestine

I'm still feeling a little hopeful (eternal optimist).

Netanyahu hasn't actually said No yet. I wonder if the negotiators could get Hamas to agree to release all the hostages in one go as that seems to be the main sticking point now.

He must be feeling a lot of pressure from the families of the hostages (though the Tikva group has denounced any partial deal, other family groups obviously do want him to just get the hostages back).

The problem is - zero trust on either side.

Back to the OP, I was slightly hopeful that the ceasefire might actually happen this time so that at least some hostages got to return home in the coming weeks. Updates like this make me worry that the right wing elements of the Israeli government will just push through with the destruction of Gaza City and ignore what’s on the table because they know what they want from this conflict.

I also feel terribly sorry for the reservists being forced to fight - how terrifying. And of course, the millions of innocent people who are being displaced or killed and injured by the bombing of Gaza City.

The inching closer to someone else’s position is a good aim to have I think.

Impossible on most of these threads as people turn aggressive so quickly that the discussion turns to attack/defend/ attack rather than listening & reflecting.

Dangermoo didn’t say she doesn’t know anything. She implied she doesn’t know the full extent which is probably true of lots of us.

Common ground I share with you both. I will leave you to it! Good luck!

No problem. I still hope you will come around eventually..or at least inch closer.