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

That's a relief
Hopefully this is the start of more hostages released and de-escalation

The tension is bad enough for people like us , it must be unbearable for the families.

Now we wait for the names .

The Red Cross arrived at Ofer prison for the release of the Palestinian detainees aswell.
24 women and 15 children all originally from the West Bank and Jerusalem
So all seems to be going to plan
Let’s hope the success of the release of all continues

first reports say all Israeli hostages are well,

This moment has reminded me of a song we used to sing at school

“It’s better to light just one little candle than to stumble in the dark
Better for you that you light just one little candle
All you need is a tiny spark
If we’d all say a prayer that the world would be free
The wonderful dawn of a new day we’d see
And if everyone lit just one little candle
What a bright world it would be “

Hoping this moment in this war is the tiny spark

It does feel joyous , seeing the ladies waving from the jeep made me a bit teary.

What a lovely song, thank you. If only more can be lit from this spark.

They’ve killed two earlier and injured several others.

Only 4 children, no babies today.😥

It's being suggested that Hanna Katzir who was said to be dead is actually alive and has been released.

And this is a ceasefire!

Those apparently released

So happy to see some of the hostages released> I am sad that it doesn't include all the children. I hope that this is the beginning and all of them are released soon, and the ceasefire is permanent.

Conditions on the Palestinians being released seem quite draconian. There can't be celebrations, they can't talk about conditions in the prison, they can't talk about their treatment in the prison. Seems like there is something to hide.

Have they been freed yet?

Apparently the teenage boys have.

Sky reporting they are being taken into West Bank.

Alex Crawford did a heartbreaking piece this morning about the state of some of the injured Palestinian children, she quoted a child with his skull fractured and the wound infected and worms crawling out of his brain, children with two broken legs, children being operated on without anaesthesia. She said some of these children are now orphans so not even got a parent to comfort them. I can't believe this is the 21st century.

Some are reported as only being 14. I wonder how long they have been in prison and what has happened to them that they are unable to disclose.

@StarbucksSmarterSister I am devastated some of the younger babies and children have not been released.

I really hope it’s good news about Hanna Katzir, that she’s actually been released. Her husband was killed in the Oct 7 attack and her son was also taken hostage.
It’s confusing because Palestinian Islamic Jihad released a statement about her death three days ago. They said on Telegram, translated by Reuters: "We previously expressed our willingness to release her for humanitarian reasons, but the enemy was stalling and this led to her death.”
In a statement to a Turkish news agency they seemed pretty definite: "We announce the death of settler Hannah Katzir, whom we had previously expressed our willingness to release for humanitarian reasons. But the procrastination of the enemy led to the loss of her life.”

Is that ‘gagging order’ the same for all those released!

This.

Conditions and treatment in Israeli jails historically has been well reported.
If they can’t speak they clearly haven’t been having a great time.

Her family confirmed an hour ago she was released

Sky news is reporting that 33 palestinians have been released
Not 39

I'm watching Sky and they are saying 39 released, confirmed by Qatar.