Hostages condition on release

[LetThereBeLove]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/02/08/israel-hamas-hostages-released-gaza-latest-news/

The images speak for themselves

Prior to the war Hamas took aid that was sent to Gaza and sold it to the population via their approved vendors at inflated prices, with much of the profits going into their own pockets.

About a week or so ago a Palestinian man was interviewed on BBC News and he said that much of the aid delivered during the war was being stolen and sold to the civilian population. He then said that it would be dangerous for him to elaborate further on that. I guess that explains why Hamas are looking so plump.

There's two things that can be true at the same time:

1. Hamas was taking some of the aid.
2. Israel were not allowing sufficient aid in and at times deliberately blocking aid (hence the warnings by the US throughout the war)

Our own government criticised Israel for this numerous times unless you think they are all just lying too.

Exactly

Absolutely unbelievable people still blaming Israel for the plight of Gazans rather than Hamas.
It's almost as if Hamas had no responsibility for feeding its own people.
What other country was ever expected to feed the opposing sides civilians?
People bending over backwards blaming Israel while not condemning Hamas for profiting from stealing aid.
Perhaps Hamas could have spent some of the millions of $ of aid on self sufficiency for its own people? Or stockpiled in some of those tunnels? Or ensured fair rationing? I'm pretty sure I saw a photo of a terrorist wife in a tunnel looking pretty well fed, perhaps she could have shared with some of these starving mothers?

Nobody has said Israel has done absolutely no wrong.

But glad that we are now all agreed that Hamas has been and continues to siphon off and control aid distribution.

The previous poster when discussing starving babies did say that's all on Hamas. That does absolve Israel of all blame. It's not only one poster who has said similar either.

They are not feeding them. If you remember they had blocked all entrances and exits into Gaza including the Egyptian crossing. They were then allowing in a little aid despite the huge volume that was supplied by other countries. That's very different to feeding them from their own pockets.

Once again deflection to talk about anything other than the original thread title. Predictable but still infuriating.

Dreadful stories in UK press on appalling treatment of hostages. Beatings and torture. Some kept in conditions where they could not even stand, deliberately starved and denied water. This is what many suspected and dreaded was happening. Absolutely heartbreaking.

Many similar stories from various outlets, this is a compact report.

www.lbc.co.uk/world-news/abuse-suffered-by-hamas-hostages-revealed-during-their-500-days-in-captivity/

100% and yet there are posters here who don't see this, it worse, don't want to.

Horrific.

Indeed.

What will the next released hostages look like.

Meanwhile, hamas strut around with their numerous supporters cheering them on, whether they're watching or around the world, no wonder they feel emboldened to continue. Many appear to not see anything wrong with what hamas have done and are doing, so many apologists.

I think Hamas bears the lion’s share of any blame for the terrible suffering of the Palestinian people. Seeing their obvious well-fed aggression and glee at the Hostage release “ceremonies” confirmed my view of Hamas.
They caused this war and now they steal aid meant for starving Gazan citizens.

Israel’s government is also culpable for many terrible actions and decisions but the biggest problem for Gaza is Hamas.
Only when Hamas are eliminated will the lives of Palestinians improve

I agree 'the biggest problem for Gaza is Hamas'. Shame their supporters in the west don't realise this. It appears they want them to remain in power. Hamas no doubt love the show of support it continues to get, so why should they not expect to continue in power.

I disagree, i believe Israel and Hamas are equally to blame. How many Palestinians were killed by Israel before the war? How many are being killed on a weekly basis in the occupied west bank? It's Israel that carpet bombed Gaza with 2000lb bombs.

The presence of Hamas makes it difficult to see how alternative ( more moderate and peaceful) voices in Israel can put pressure on the government to establish better relationships with Palestinians.

Well yes, but in the occupied West bank there Is the PA which I think would be willing to work with Israel but they are constantly undermined. There are moderate voices within the Israeli government but they don't have as much power as the extremists. Do you not think the war would have panned out quite differently if Lapid was PM?

I don’t agree with the way Netanyahu has conducted the war . The indiscriminate bombing, the scale and intensity.
But Hamas caused the war through their deliberate unprovoked atrocities against families living in Kibbutz and festival goers. They compounded this by taking hostages ( including babies) and leaving the Israeli population deeply deeply traumatised.
Hamas put their own people in danger, started this war, did not provide bomb shelters, stole aid from ordinary citizens and continue to terrorise their own people.
Hamas are the biggest problem for Gaza.

It's Israel that carpet bombed Gaza with 2000lb bombs.

Remind me why again? They weren't bombing them before 7 October 2023.

Only problem there was they then continued relentlessly for 15 months, commiting many war crimes and completely losing the run of themselves

Only problem there was they then continued relentlessly for 15 months, commiting many war crimes and completely losing the run of themselves

"Committing many war crimes" is more propaganda. I'm not denying there has been death and a great deal of suffering, but that must be laid firmly at the door of those who launched a savage and completely unnecessary terrorist attack against innocent civilians and stole them from their homes.

And again it is Hamas who chooses to hide right among their civilian populations, and themselves dress in civilian clothes - only to proudly put their uniforms back on after a ceasefire.

Don't try to justify torture. None of the surrounding crowds or female hostages were emaciated.
They have clearly been starved.
What you are saying is equivalent to justifying WW2 starvation by saying there was a temporary lack of food in Germany prior to and during the war.
Periodic reduced access to food in some areas doesn't excuse starving certain people as a form of torture.

Before Hamas came to power, the innocent young Rachel Corrie was crushed to death by an Israeli bulldozer. Tom Hurndall was shot a year later while trying to rescue two Palestinian chiuldren. An innocent young man and woman. It is really nonsense to say there was no aggression before Oct 7th. Do you think crushing an innocent young woman for attempting to protect homes was a kind and peaceful act? While Hamas are clearly committing cruel acts now, the cruelty goes way back.

Rachel Corrie was murdered in 2003, Tom Hurndall in 2004.

Sorry but unless you have been buried under a stone for the last 15 months you can see there's been many war crimes committed, everything can't be blamed on propaganda, that poor 8 and and a half month pregnant woman in the West Bank shot dead yeaterday, is that propaganda too? Israel have launched many many many savage attacks on Gaza for 15 whole months, that is on them and them only I used to think Israel was a democratic country but they've proven themselves to be nothing but a rogue state with no concern for International Law