Detainees, Truce and Agreements *title altered at OP's request*

[stormy4319trevor]

Continuing broad discussion of the release of detainees, hostages and prisoners and the agreements around this.

The head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has responded to criticism of its role in facilitating the release of Israeli hostages from Gaza.

The hostages are “at the very top of our priority list – but under current circumstances access is difficult and very dangerous for the hostages themselves,” ICRC president Mirjana Spoljaric told the BBC.

It requires an agreement between both the parties and that agreement is lacking at the moment. We speak to both sides all the time and we are demanding that Hamas gives us access – from day one I have always clearly said that taking hostages is against international humanitarian law.

Last week, Rachel Goldberg, whose son is believed to be a hostage, said the Red Cross had done a good job “being the Uber service for the released hostages” but had done nothing for those still in captivity.

Spoljaric said the criticism of the ICRC as being an “Uber service” was “profoundly unjust, unfair, and wrong”, adding:

These operations are extremely complex and have to be planned - we are working around the clock with the authorities on the Israeli side and Israel knows that we use all our available resources whenever we can facilitate a release or access to hostages.

Leaflets bearing the IDF insignia have been falling over Khan Younis.
The Arabic text on the leaflets is from a Koranic verse and reads: "The flood took them away. Those who committed injustice."

I have just seen this on BBC news
What new psychological horror is this to inflict on civilians??

Or is it hinting towards flooding the tunnels?

It's getting crazier by the day

Saw somewhere that that was the idea - tunnel flooding again

Just seen as well that Netanyahu has said that they have Yehua Sinewar's spp house surrounded also in Khan Younis

That is really messed up. Have they lost their minds. Is this how a moral army acts

To air drop verses of the Quran alluding to punishment as a warning to the people

@efacsen I wonder if he is inside there
If he is then he is dead for sure

Or maybe they will want to take him back alive back to Israel
I'm sure he will be more useful to them alive than dead

And to do that to people who are already terrified and think they're going to die

Such cruelty and does nothing for maintaining civil order causing panic

It's really bizarre and very concerning given what you two were discussing about undermining ground stability with flooding.

Guardian don't think he's home but in the tunnels so hope they're not literally planning to flush him out

Sadly not really surprising

The White House has said Israel and Hamas are not close to another deal on a new humanitarian pause.

Discussions are happening “literally every day” on a possible new agreement, the White House’s national security council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters. He added:

I wish I had specific progress to speak to – I don’t. Obviously we’re not close to inking another deal on humanitarian pause, nor do I have any news to break here today about the return of hostages.

I’ve just seen what’s been happening in Gaza today - absolutely horrific . How can the world stand by and let Israel do this. What does this mean for the hostages - surely they can’t survive this ?

@Kaffeebitte There are efforts going on to negotiate a ceasefire, but no agreement reached. I might be wrong, but I think Guterres invoking Article 99 would be an attempt to impose a ceasefire, but not sure how that's going. There are US and British drones flying overhead searching for clues as to hostages, and I suppose the IDF are interrogating everyone they meet, but it does look just as dangerous for the hostages as everyone else with no aid getting in, bombing, no sanitation, and no healthcare either.

@Kaffeebitte I wanted to write something re-assuring about the perilous situation of the hostages but see that @stormy4319trevor has already written something much better than I could do

The hostages haven't been forgotten - there were big demonstrations in Tel Aviv last night, negotiations are ongoing and they are being sought by other means

This is the most recent summary about Guterres Article 99 intervention WRT an urgent humanitarian ceasefire

UN security council to meet Friday and vote on Gaza ceasefire

The UN security council is to meet under acute pressure from Secretary-General António Guterres and will vote on urging an immediate ceasefire after weeks of war.

In a letter to the council on Wednesday, Guterres took the extraordinary step of invoking the UN charter’s Article 99, which states that the secretary-general may bring to the attention of the council “any matter which in his opinion may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security.”

No one in his role had done this in decades.

Guterres wrote: “Amid constant bombardment by the Israel Defense Forces, and without shelter or the essentials to survive, I expect public order to completely break down soon due to the desperate conditions, rendering even limited humanitarian assistance impossible.”

After Guterres sent his urgent letter, the United Arab Emirates prepared a draft resolution that will be put to a vote on Friday, according to the delegation from Ecuador, which chairs the council this month and decides on scheduling issues, Agence France-Presse reports.

The latest version of this document was seen Thursday by AFP and calls the humanitarian situation in Gaza “catastrophic” and “demands an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.”

The short text also calls for protection of civilians, the immediate and unconditional release of all the hostages Hamas is still holding, and humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip.

But the outcome of a vote is not clear – four earlier drafts presented since the war broke out were rejected by the security council.

The United States, Israel’s most powerful ally, which vetoed one of the earlier draft resolutions and rejects the idea of a ceasefire, has said a new resolution from the council at this stage would not be “useful.”

Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen on Wednesday said Guterres’ tenure was “a danger to world peace” after he invoked Article 99.

Hostage Sa'ar Baruch allegedly dies in failed rescue attempt

The armed wing of Hamas claims an Israeli soldier who was being held hostage has been killed in a clash between the militants and an Israeli special forces unit that was conducting a rescue operation.

According to Reuters, Al-Qassam Brigades claims its fighters discovered the rescue operation and confronted the unit; leading to the death and injury of several of the Israeli forces. They did not specify a number.

They identify the captive soldier as 25-year-old Sa’ar Baruch and have given an identification number for him, Reuters reports.

The Israeli Defence Forces have not immediately respond to a request for comment. Israel rescued a captive soldier from Gaza in late October, and has said it could mount similar operations to retrieve remaining hostages if possible.

Make your minds up. Flooding out the terrorists is a genius move. What do you want instead ongoing deaths?

You need to RTFT - flooding tunnels is not without serious life-threatening consequences

It will save a lot more lives on the long run.

I'm hoping the US and UK don't veto the ceasefire again today.

Me too but won't be surprised if they do veto

Gaza's situation 'reaching a point of no return', warns UN

I'll have to read more, but given the article 99 has been invoked, I wonder if there are consequences for countries who veto it. There seems to be some weight behind it as a move. We'll have to see what is reported later today, I suppose. I think it's the best bet for saving hostages and also for trying to salvage the humanitarian crisis.

@Mousecatgame see I disagree. I think it will be disastrous.

@stormy4319trevor I think that the Article 99 'raises the alarm' and precipitates the emergency UN Security Meeting

As I understand it there are no consequences for the veto-ing nation/s - except in the court of public opinion and with their voters at home

@Efacsen Many thanks for your sensible thoughts on this. I'm interested in the mechanism of the process, but understand very little so far. On tenterhooks until we get a result back from UNSC now. Will check back later.

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Posted a couple of minutes ago