Israelis held hostage in Gaza - part 3

[StarbucksSmarterSister]

Part 3.

I hope they come home soon and there's no need for a part 4.

IDF announced Itay Chen (hostage IDF border soldier, 19) death on oct 7th. His body remains hostage in Gaza.

I get the impression from the way it is reported on some of the places I’ve seen the army are still working through the footage and weighing up the evidence of whether injuries were survivable.

https://m.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-791549

I am so sorry to hear this news. Every life lost in this horrible conflict is a tragedy and it's horrible to think of yet another family not being able to say goodbye properly to their loved one.

Yes, and it must be very upsetting indeed to find out that someone you have been hoping and praying for for all these last months has been dead all along since Oct 7; and to not have been able to attend to their body to say goodbye according to yours their beliefs in all that time.

Absolutely heartbreaking.

When my DC1 died, the sole comfort I had was that I could bury them and help them be at peace in death. The pain of not being able to do even that... I don't think there are words to do justice to how terrible that would be.

Very sad news, tragic for his family and friends. Not really sure what to say over and above what’s already been said. This was not the right way, it can’t be justified.

@EllaDisenchanted such sad news.

@Scirocco I am truly sorry for your loss. Thank you for acknowledging the importance of burying the whole person. I think many don't understand or realise what this means.

News update...

I've seen a similar update in a broader context:

"According to multiple Israeli sources, there has been extreme pressure on Qatar from the United States to put its own pressure on Hamas. Finally, Qatar has threatened to expel Hamas from the country. Several Arab countries have also threatened to freeze Hamas assets if they continue to stymie progress. "

https://twitter.com/academic_la/status/1767619402764357975

Scirroco I am very sorry💐

I'm so very sorry @Scirocco

@Scirocco I'm so sorry for your loss. May Allah grant them Janaat al Firdous 🤲🏽

Such sad news especially for the family of Itay. Every innocent lives lost in conflict is a tragedy.

@anotherlevel JazakAllah khair.

Hopefully the financial pressure on hamas leaders will give them more incentive to negotiate than the pain they don't seem to feel for Gazan suffering.

twitter.com/AvivaKlompas/status/1767692156179726699

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-68557915

An account from a freed hostage, of what he and his sister went through.

The never ending second by second fear he describes is dreadful. Imagine it continuing for over five months with no relief. I think it must be agony for him and his sister thinking of their friend. They won’t be able to enjoy their own freedom. And this is the same for the other freed hostages knowing of those they left behind.

For those showing market stalls full of food, questioning the hunger many are experiencing, or the starvation if some - he was talking about how very hungry he was over three months ago, and it is all so much worse now.

So much for the hostages being treated well.

Good.

Have just seen posted. Poster normally reliable source.

Update on update

It will be a no on a hostage deal. Israeli government feel the 'asks' from Hamas are too large and insurmountable.

Qatar are putting financial pressure on Hamas leadership but they are at odds with leadership in Gaza who are still hoping for lone wolf attacks and uplift in trouble over Ramadan.

Hamas happy to see Israel being bashed from all quarters including United States and not in a rush to sort anything out soon.

Things are not looking positive.

Update today.

I get the feeling Hamas are deliberately making demands they know Israel won't agree to.

@SomeCatFromJapan I agree with that. Especially as the pressure is on them from Qatar. They are trying to be seen to be cooperating.

I am not sure where the news feed you have posted is from? (I have attached a screenshot of what you posted.)

I noticed that it says:

Hamas demands the release of 950 terrorists

So I looked up what Reuters said for comparison:

release of Israeli hostages in exchange for freedom for Palestinian prisoners
100 of whom are serving life sentences

Israel holds thousands of Palestinian prisoners of whom not all are terrorists.
So possibly, “950 terrorists” may be an exaggeration.

www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/hamas-issues-ceasefire-proposal-mediators-which-includes-exchanging-2024-03-15/

From Reuters

• Hamas presents ceasefire proposal

• Proposal seen by Reuters includes exchange of hostages, Palestinian detainees, Women, children and elderly to be released in first stageIn exchange, 700-1,000 Palestinian prisoners would be freed. Israel says proposal is based on 'unrealistic demands'

DUBAI, March 15 (Reuters) - Hamas has presented a Gaza ceasefire proposal to mediators and the U.S. that includes the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for freedom for Palestinian prisoners, 100 of whom are serving life sentences, according to a proposal seen by Reuters.
Hamas said the initial release of Israelis would include women, children, elderly and ill hostages in return for the release of 700-1,000 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons, according to the proposal. The release of Israeli "female recruits" is included.