Israel Hamas ceasefire - phased hostage release & IDF withdrawal

[AlexO]

Why has Israel closed the Gaza supply lines again?

Good question.

A lot of right-minded people would also like to know, as it's certainly not part of the ceasefire agreement which Israel apparently is a signatory to.

In a right-minded nutshell then.

"JERUSALEM, March 4 (Reuters) - Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said on Tuesday Israel was ready to proceed to the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal, as long as Hamas was ready to release more of the 59 hostages it is still holding. ...

Hamas says it wants to proceed to second-phase negotiations that could open the way to a permanent end to the war with the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from the devastated Palestinian enclave and a return of the remaining 59 hostages taken in the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. ...

Saar denied Israel had breached the pact by not advancing to stage two talks. He said there was "no automaticity" between the stages and he said Hamas had itself violated the agreement to allow aid into Gaza by seizing most of the supplies itself. ...

"It is a means to continue the war against Israel. It's today the major part of Hamas income in Gaza," he said.
Aid groups have said that looting and wrongful seizure of aid trucks into Gaza has been a major problem but Hamas, the Islamist militant group that seized power in Gaza in 2007, denies seizing aid for its own members."

So, it is an increasingly marginalised, factional, desperate and leaderless Hamas issue, as usual.

Pretty much spot on Tam.

Some people forget that basically Israel is still officially at war with the Iranian backed terror organisations.
Israel has complied with the aim of Phase 1 of the ceasefire agreement while Hamas heroic fighters have come out of hiding and waved their AK47's in an attempt to demonstrate they are not a defeated force.
There is no Phase 2 agreement in place and the Israelis are doing what every nation at war will do, try to deny your opponents the means to carry on the war, this includes denying supplies to your enemies.
The antics of Hamas and the "innocent Gazians" at the release of some of the hostages and the murdered babies just demonstrates that the Trumps aim of forcing the evacuation of the Gaza Strip to turn it into the Mediterranean Las Vegas might be the best option for that "prime piece of real estate"

[jackspratt]

This is what "ceasefire" and "negotiation" look like in Tel Aviv.

Benjamin Netanyahu shatters hopes of ceasefire deal resuming as he looks to bring back far-right Ben-Gvir

Benjamin Netanyahu has shattered hopes of any resumption of a ceasefire.

The first phase of the ceasefire lapsed at the beginning of March, and by resuming fighting in Gaza, Mr Netanyahu has made it extremely difficult for a deal written specifically for Israel to continue.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-19/ ... /105069840

For those who may still be stuck in the fantasy that all the malevolence resides on only one side of this conflict.

[Udon Map]

For those who may still be stuck in the fantasy that all the malevolence resides on only one side of this conflict.

Why doesn't Hamas just return the remaining hostages and bodies?

[jackspratt]

For those who may still be stuck in the fantasy that all the malevolence resides on only one side of this conflict.

Why doesn't Hamas just return the remaining hostages and bodies?

In return for what?

Netanyahu has already made his intentions clear, even before this latest onslaught. And with Trump in the White House, it would be open season on Gaza, followed probably by the West Bank.

[tamada]

This is what "ceasefire" and "negotiation" look like in Tel Aviv.

Benjamin Netanyahu shatters hopes of ceasefire deal resuming as he looks to bring back far-right Ben-Gvir

Benjamin Netanyahu has shattered hopes of any resumption of a ceasefire.

The first phase of the ceasefire lapsed at the beginning of March, and by resuming fighting in Gaza, Mr Netanyahu has made it extremely difficult for a deal written specifically for Israel to continue.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-19/ ... /105069840

For those who may still be stuck in the fantasy that all the malevolence resides on only one side of this conflict.

It's not a fantasy at all. Iran, through their proxy Hamas, wants nothing less than the destruction of Israel and the death of all Jews.

On the other hand, Israel just wants peace.

[tamada]

For those who may still be stuck in the fantasy that all the malevolence resides on only one side of this conflict.

Why doesn't Hamas just return the remaining hostages and bodies?

In return for what?

Netanyahu has already made his intentions clear, even before this latest onslaught. And with Trump in the White House, it would be open season on Gaza, followed probably by the West Bank.

In return for Israel honoring the essence of the ceasefire agreement? Israel has delivered in spades, whereas your choirboys have been dragging their feet on just about all their commitments, making grandiose but cringeworthy Tik Tok moments of their hostage handovers like they're the (masked and AK-47 toting) good guys.

[Udon Map]

For those who may still be stuck in the fantasy that all the malevolence resides on only one side of this conflict.

Why doesn't Hamas just return the remaining hostages and bodies?

In return for what?

Netanyahu has already made his intentions clear, even before this latest onslaught. And with Trump in the White House, it would be open season on Gaza, followed probably by the West Bank.

In return for nothing. Hamas invaded the country and captured civilians. I see no reason to reward them for that.

[jackspratt]

On the other hand, Israel just wants peace.

But it's not interested in negotiating to bring about that peace, either in the short, or long term - particularly when it is politically, and consequently legally, advantageous to Netanyahu not to do so.

And round and round in circles we go.

[jackspratt]

For those who may still be stuck in the fantasy that all the malevolence resides on only one side of this conflict.

Why doesn't Hamas just return the remaining hostages and bodies?

In return for what?

Netanyahu has already made his intentions clear, even before this latest onslaught. And with Trump in the White House, it would be open season on Gaza, followed probably by the West Bank.

In return for nothing. Hamas invaded the country and captured civilians. I see no reason to reward them for that.

So we close our eyes to what my second paragraph foreshadows - and we can open them again when the bright, shiny new Riviera II has popped up.

[Udon Map]

For those who may still be stuck in the fantasy that all the malevolence resides on only one side of this conflict.

Why doesn't Hamas just return the remaining hostages and bodies?

In return for what?

Netanyahu has already made his intentions clear, even before this latest onslaught. And with Trump in the White House, it would be open season on Gaza, followed probably by the West Bank.

In return for nothing. Hamas invaded the country and captured civilians. I see no reason to reward them for that.

So we close our eyes to what my second paragraph foreshadows - and we can open them again when the bright, shiny new Riviera II has popped up.

Pretty much. Hamas invaded a neighboring country which it has tried to destroy for as long as it has existed. It murdered or took hostage hundreds of civilians, itself a war crime, if I'm not mistaken. Hamas' stated raison d'être is the destruction of Israel (a country established by the U.N., in which Hamas and the P.A. seek full membership) and death of all Jews. Hamas only understands one thing, -- brute force.

[jackspratt]

So we should ignore the approx 2 million Gazans that are not Hamas?

How very Netanyahu/Ben Gvirian of you.

[Udon Map]

So we should ignore the approx 2 million Gazans that are not Hamas?

Hamas is the government in Gaza. Are you suggesting that we were wrong to bomb Germany in World War 2 because not all Germans supported the ruling Nazi party?

What's more, many Gazan civilians do support Hamas. According to this poll from just a year ago, only 7% of Gazans blamed Hamas for their suffering. And only 5% of Palestinians believe that Hamas' October 7th massacre constitutes a war crime.

Poll: Hamas Remains Popular Among Palestinians
https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2024/03/22 ... estinians/

So what would you suggest? Give Hamas a pass and apologize for Israel's existence? No? Ok, then, what's your suggestion?

[jackspratt]

Forgive me, but I understood there was a 3 stage ceasefire plan in place - which, up until the IDF starting bombing the shi.t out of Gaza again a day or so ago, had been substantially complied with by both sides.

And it is little wonder that Hamas retains popularity among the civilian citizens, given that up until the ceasefire was agreed, the IDF was (some would say, indiscriminately) bombing the shi.t out of Gaza for the best part of 12 months.

As for the WW2 comparison, weapons and methods have improved considerably since 1944-5.

[Udon Map]

Forgive me, but I understood there was a 3 stage ceasefire plan in place - which, up until the IDF starting bombing the shi.t out of Gaza again a day or so ago, had been substantially complied with by both sides.

There was no agreement other than the first stage. There was an agreement to agree on the second stage, but no specific terms were agreed. Agreements to agree are meaningless.

And it is little wonder that Hamas retains popularity among the civilian citizens, given that up until the ceasefire was agreed, the IDF was (some would say, indiscriminately) bombing the shi.t out of Gaza for the best part of 12 months.

Apparently none of them have yet managed to make the connection that if Hamas hadn't launched a terror attack on October 7th, none of this would have happened.

As for the WW2 comparison, weapons and methods have improved considerably since 1944-5.

IMO the methods are irrelevant in this case. The issue is whether or not it's OK to attack civilians, rape and murder them, and take them hostage.

[tamada]

Forgive me, but I understood there was a 3 stage ceasefire plan in place - which, up until the IDF starting bombing the shi.t out of Gaza again a day or so ago, had been substantially complied with by both sides.

There was no agreement other than the first stage. There was an agreement to agree on the second stage, but no specific terms were agreed. Agreements to agree are meaningless.

And it is little wonder that Hamas retains popularity among the civilian citizens, given that up until the ceasefire was agreed, the IDF was (some would say, indiscriminately) bombing the shi.t out of Gaza for the best part of 12 months.

Apparently none of them have yet managed to make the connection that if Hamas hadn't launched a terror attack on October 7th, none of this would have happened.

As for the WW2 comparison, weapons and methods have improved considerably since 1944-5.

IMO the methods are irrelevant in this case. The issue is whether or not it's OK to attack civilians, rape and murder them, and take them hostage.

Love - 40

[Udon Map]

Love - 40

Perfect response!

[jackspratt]

Forgive me, but I understood there was a 3 stage ceasefire plan in place - which, up until the IDF starting bombing the shi.t out of Gaza again a day or so ago, had been substantially complied with by both sides.

There was no agreement other than the first stage. There was an agreement to agree on the second stage, but no specific terms were agreed. Agreements to agree are meaningless.

That's one interpretation of what has unfolded in the past week or so.

Others with a more balanced view would probably disagree.

Love - 40

Well, I did mention earlier those who were stuck in a fantasy, although I didn't have you specifically in mind.

[tamada]

Forgive me, but I understood there was a 3 stage ceasefire plan in place - which, up until the IDF starting bombing the shi.t out of Gaza again a day or so ago, had been substantially complied with by both sides.

There was no agreement other than the first stage. There was an agreement to agree on the second stage, but no specific terms were agreed. Agreements to agree are meaningless.

That's one interpretation of what has unfolded in the past week or so.

Others with a more balanced view would probably disagree.

Love - 40

Well, I did mention earlier those who were stuck in a fantasy, although I didn't have you specifically in mind.

Talking of a "balanced view" and "fantasy", is your name Polyanna?

[Declan MacPherson]

The IDF has killed the commander of the Shajeya Brigade in Hamas' Gaza Brigade.

He was killed with his family.

Crushing Hamas and Islamism cannot come soon enough.


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[Udon Map]

The IDF has killed the commander of the Shajeya Brigade in Hamas' Gaza Brigade.

Israel has a very long and difficult road ahead if the goal is to eliminate Hamas. OTOH, this is clearly one small step forward on that road.