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.

agree @MercanDede that there could be reasons to play for time.

From the BBC:

What has Blinken said about the UN resolution?Let's just recap what US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said a little earlier about the language used in the UN Security Council draft resolution.
"There seems to be silence on what Hamas could do, should do, must do if we want to end the suffering of innocent men, women and children. It would be good if the world could unite around that proposition as well," he told journalists at his final briefing of 2023.
"The purpose of the resolution as stated by the countries that put it forward is to facilitate and help expand humanitarian assistance that's getting into Gaza. And we fully support that.
"We want to make sure that the resolution in what it calls for and requires actually advances that effort and doesn't do anything that could actually hurt the delivery of humanitarian assistance, make it more complicated."

Totally feel there should be a sustainable ceasefire but I agree with Blinken that
""There seems to be silence on what Hamas could do, should do, must do if we want to end the suffering of innocent men, women and children. "

Let's hope this silence ends.

Interesting.
More from the BBC:

Blinken pushes back on criticism of US support for Israel.

At a year-end-press conference, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken pushed back on criticism of American support for Israel’s military operation in Gaza.
He was speaking as UN diplomats scrambled to avoid another US veto on a ceasefire resolution.
"I hear no-one demanding of Hamas that it stop hiding behind civilians, lay down its arms and surrender,” he said. “This would be over tomorrow if that happened.”
“How can it be that there are no demands made of the aggressor and only demands of the victim,” he added, stressing that the Hamas attack on 7 October started the war.
Blinken said the US had been at the forefront of getting humanitarian aid into Gaza and wanted to make sure that the UN resolution “advances that effort and…doesn’t make it more complicated.”
He repeated the administration’s position that Israel must do more to protect civilians, but that it had a right and duty to fight this war.
“Understandably everyone would like to see this conflict end as quickly as possible,” he said. “But if it ends with Hamas in place with the capacity to do 7 October (attacks) again and again, that’s not in the interests of the region or the world.”

Well said.

Does anyone know if the vote is still going ahead this afternoon?

Not heard anything to the reverse

So ATM expecting it to go ahead/be postponed again

From the BBC
"But prospects remain uncertain after Hamas's leader reportedly rejected the idea of a temporary pause during talks in Cairo on Wednesday".

Sounds like Hamas are causing a hold up

Thank you

Any of you know how many hostages remained in capture?
Wishing for the permanent ceasefire and full release to happen soon.
Rather sad that so far, they have not agreed to it.

@MushMonster I believe there are 120 hostages remaining. If I am incorrect please somebody do correct me

I heard 129 on the radio this morning.

UNSC meeting now- either vote or delay shortly

I have seen there are still disagreements with some of the wording which includes the UN screening for aid for a quicker process
But the US is opposing that

@Parkingt111 I might be wrong but I have read that the issue isn't with Israel's ability to scan aid but the amount of aid being sent to scan. They are saying they can do a lot more

Which doesn't sound like an Israel issue?

@Stomacharmeleon I'm not sure either

This was on BBC
But Washington is seeking more changes in high-level talks. The key sticking point is over the text’s proposal to have a UN mechanism to monitor aid into Gaza – something the Arab group of nations insists must be part of any meaningful resolution.
Washington fears that could take away Israel’s control of the screening process. They’ve asked for this latest delay so they can discuss with Egypt how a monitoring mechanism can work for all parties.

@Parkingt111 and @Kaffeebitte
The numbers are shocking. I hope they release them all soon.

Why does Israel get to dictate what does and doesn't come into Gaza via Rafah?

@Toothyfruity they've done so for years so can see why this would be a big stumbling block even trying to slightly reduce their grip won't go down well

Doesn't take a genius to work out why surely? Because it's not just food etc. it's always weapons. They don't appear from no where.
You make it sound is if Egypt is completely impotent in this. They have guards etc too. And are just as unwilling to deal with the grief that Hamas causes.

That’s not exactly right, Israel insists on controlling everything and everyone that goes into Gaza or out of Gaza. It is a requirement of their treaty with Egypt. The issue is that the UN has reported that Israel is committing a war crime of denying sufficient humanitarian aid into Gaza through unnecessary inspections, overly long delays and doing things like allowing in rice but not the water or fuel needed to cook it. By allowing in Covid tests, but not antiseptic. That is why the UN wants to be the only ones inspecting the humanitarian aid, to go around Israel.

@MercanDede Egypt administered the Gaza Strip for two decades until the Israelis won it in the six day war. They have been increasing numbers of guards way beyond the agreement between them and Israel agreed to it.

It's just more convenient to believe that Egypt won't get involved because they are worried about what Israel will or won't do? Egypt are happy with the way things are for numerous reasons. They don't want to get lumbered with the Gazan's... the 'red line' as the king of Jordan calls it. Even if their national debt is wiped.

Israel has reported that they are happy to scan and process lots more aid then is coming through and it is the UN that is not providing it.

If I was Israel I wouldn't trust the UN without checks and balances to process all aid. It has been proved numerous times they are bias and unwra is corrupt.

Lots of cognitive dissonance in your posts. (This is not a personal attack but an observation)

After seeing the stats on UN resolutions against Israel whilst it turns a blind eye to evil
Regimes.... Iran as human rights chair? I understand why Israel is wary of the UN and it's involvement in all this. I Don't believe they are capable of an honest or objective Criticism of Israel.

I have just looked for an update and the latest i can see is that they are still working on wording
I'm not sure if we will see a vote today now.

I'm trying to be positive that the stalling is because the US doesn't want to veto, hence still trying to negotiate on the specifics

i feel quite cynical. I don't think the US will vote for anything more than a short pause to free a few more hostages. I think they are just playing with all the quibble about language and terms. Sorry @Parkingt111

@stormy4319trevor was the vote supposed to initially happen on Monday? It's been stalled for a really long time
I don't know what will happen now
Is the US trying to save face by not being isolated once again? I really don't know

@Parkingt111 It's been postponed a few times, yes - I think Monday. I think the US probably doesn't want to veto because it shows them as isolated, but also they want a resolution which suits Israel and suits them. Also, it's delaying any other actions countries might take, if they think a ceasefire/pause vote might pass.

Or is the US feeling pressure from within? Look what Bernie Sanders just tweeted

https://twitter.com/SenSanders/status/1737917017116614833?t=DfkGyG6ZwL_tVEXWwvI9jw&s=19