Hostages

[TakeMe2Insanity]

This is running on Al Jazeera and others - apparently Israel refused to take back two hostages.

https://english.alarabiya.net/amp/News/middle-east/2023/10/21/Hamas-says-intended-to-release-two-hostages-but-Israel-refused-to-receive-them

400 Canadians too

Some of the no water/still have water was to do with UNWRAs warehouse finally running out of bottled water [last week] whilst they were saying it was running out for ages which was confusing

I got kicked out for a bit, weird. Honestly was asking a genuine question and feel the response was facile, evasive and aggressive. Accused of racism, unintentional. Hey ho. Back now.

Someone ticked me off a while back for not realising that Shani Louk was recovering comfortably in a hospital. Well, sadly, it turns out she wasn't 😨

Regarding hostages generally, I've read that Israel has quite a tough policy, presumably from years of dealing with terrorists. In wartime terms, I suppose it's a bit like refusing emotional blackmail. In human terms, for ordinary folk, hard to stomach. I can't imagine the impossible choices they're faced with.

I can't bear to think what's happened to the hostages, I'd imagine for many of them it was/continues to be a fate worse than death. If any of them died in the recent bombings, it might well have been a blessed release. I hope I'm wrong, and that they survive and return to their loved ones, but fuuuuuuccccckkk this is an insane level of deliberate cruelty.

We all know what barbarism looks like.

They probably can't risk moving. Hamas were trying to stop Gaza citizens from going south. Foreign nationals trying to move south would definitely be more risky if Hamas is telling them they can't leave. The best way they can try and stay safe is to keep inside and not make themselves obvious. However obvious that risks being bombed.

@Trulywonderful not suggesting moving is a good idea! the family have a 91 yr old and 11 yr old twins to consider
But if they get trapped in Gaza City in a siege within a siege with nothing to eat or drink and unable to get to the border to leave that's not a good idea either

There's no good choice for them or for so many others

A short piece from the Guardian about the hostage negotiations with a tiny bit at the bottom about the dual passport holders

Israel’s expansion of its ground operations in Gaza has complicated US efforts to secure the release of hostages being held in the Palestinian territory, according to a report.

A senior US official told CNN on Monday that they believed the prospects of getting hostages out could be described as “50/50”.

“The parameters are all there,” this official said about a potential deal, but efforts to negotiate with Hamas have been slow, they said.

A spokesperson for Qatar’s foreign affairs ministry told the outlet that Israel’s escalation on the ground is making the situation “considerably more difficult.”

Ongoing talks involving Israel, Qatar, Egypt, the US and Hamas have centred on freeing hostages in exchange for prisoners being held by Israel, according to a source.

They have also included getting Hamas to open the Rafah gates for dual nationals to get out of Gaza, they said.

Something I was suspicious about is that Hamas was going to say that the army lady that had been rescued by IDF was never a hostage. And I can see it already in twitter

https://twitter.com/warintel4u/status/1719036799241056763

https://twitter.com/somegirlonearth/status/1719122190841323691

should we believe the Israel government who has been proof they have lied time after time ?

@Struggggggling

"Whose fault is the 200 Palestinians that were butchered by Israel in 2023, prior to the Hamas attack?"

+++

Please try and answer posts by responding to the points raised with a factual based argument rather than whataboutery.

Otherwise these threads just turn into a pointless rant of convictions.

@EasterIssland yeah there was all sorts of nonsense on twitter yesterday about this female soldier - a lot about her perfect manicure proving she hadn't been a hostage

IDK whatever the case her release was very much overshadowed by news of Shani Louks death and the 3 hostages pleading for their release so will melt away?

Yes I’ve seen that one as well (tho not linked it here). To me being honest is a bit suspicious that idf rescued her. Only her?? Wasn’t she with anyone else ? It’s a bit of boost for the army feeling that they can rescue them and a bit of good news for the government but I’m just being suspicious to be honest and I don’t trust anything that comes from the government as they’ve cocked up many times in the last few days.

@EasterIssland yeah it's hard to know what to believe - the details which would make it make sense just aren't there [maybe w good reason]

The account of Shani Louks death doesn't make a lot of sense either but probably best to leave it alone out of respect

Well her nails are anything but perfect. There's clearly a few weeks of regrowth at the bottom.

People said she posted on Facebook a week after the attack but guess how many women in Israel have the same name?

It's the Sandy Hook denial phenomenon all over again.

Not sure why you're tagging me about the manicure nonsense

I have never had a manicure and zero knowledge about them

TBH after not having had a shower for 3 and half weeks I think that the young soldier would find a bit of self-care healing [albeit in a minor way]

I'm quoting you saying it was nonsense and pointing out why it was nonsense.

I'm not disagreeing with your comment.

@StarbucksSmarterSister okay sorry feeling a bit over-sensitive today

I just thought it was plain ridiculous the twitter detectives homing in on her entirely normal personal care like that

The head of Israel’s national security council has said that he does not see a deal for the release of hostages being close.
Tzachi Hanegbi was giving a press briefing, and Haaretz quotes him saying “as of today, we do not see a deal to release the hostages close”

I don't know why it's perfectly ok to pick over the very limited information we are being given about the hostage situation, people being released and what has or hasn't been found of Shani Louk and see it as ammunition to attack the Israeli government.

It's a war situation regardless of what people are saying and why on earth would Israel repeat Back and divulge every minute molecule of what they do or don't know? People are so full up of their own self importance and just have no real idea from either position (rather than side) of what is happening.

The efforts people are going to discredit every action of the Israeli government is just more confirmation to me of people's unconscious bias and deep routed anti-semitism.

No worries, I understand.

I saw that, gosh she tore him a new one. Its worth a watch. He had no rebuttal.

This is gutting.

Small number of overseas passport holders seen apparently moving thro' Rafah crossing this morning. Negotiated by Qatar

Many ambulances at the border crossing for evacuation of most severely injured Palestinians and overseas passport holders [incl UN and other NGO workers] to field hospital 15km away in Egypt Negotiated by US

That is a good start. Hopefully more foreign nationals will be allowed to leave and I am hoping the ones that have are not just from Hamas friendly countries. We will have to see once more information comes out. Good that very injured are getting better hospital treatment too.

The photos released by AP_France appear to show a mixture of different nationalities as far as one can tell from photos

The injured passport holders nationalities have been released - wide range doesn't seem biased to any group Only 81 in all today - maybe 100s more next week as field hospital is still being constructed and ongoing negotiations

How are Hamas stopping them from leaving?

Just saw 7 of the hostages died in the Jabalia bombing attack.