The IDF moves on Gaza City
Talks on the hostages continue, but Israel’s IDF is starting to move on Gaza City:
The IDF has begun the first steps of its invasion of Gaza City, IDF Spokesman Brig.-Gen. Effie Defrin confirmed on Wednesday.
“Our forces already control the outskirts of the city,” he said.
Additionally, he confirmed that some 60,000 conscription letters will be sent out this week, with an additional 20,000 to be sent later this month.
In his statement, Defrin confirmed that the IDF is working to provide sufficient spaces for Gazan civilians to safely evacuate, as well as to receive aid and medical care.
Israeli intelligence has determined that the hostages are in Gaza City. I don’t know whether Hamas would be able to move them at this point, but I do know they’d be able to kill them – or more likely some of them, the better to torture the Israeli people and yet retain the value of having some living hostages. This would create even more turmoil in Israel than already exists, which is already plenty.
Hamas keeps talking about a partial deal – it worked well for them before, because they know that the hostages are exceedingly important to Israel. But so far Israel is holding firm to its insistence on getting all the remaining hostages – alive and dead – back in a single agreement. Hamas doesn’t want to do that for the obvious reason that its power resides in its keeping some of the hostages as bargaining chips, psychological torture for Israelis, and pressure on the Netanyahu government. But the threat to enter Gaza City and take over seems to have put some new pressure on Hamas.
Among my facebook friends who live in Israel, I have two that are all about: “Stop the War! Stop the famine in Gaza! Bring the hostages home! Soldiers — resist and refuse! Israel is committing war crimes in Gaza! Bibi is our misfortune!”
One is a retired cantor from the US. The other is an artsy person who has lived there since he was 18, slightly more fifty years. He served in the IDF, and was in Lebanon in 1982.
I DO NOT understand them or their “logic.” I cannot fathom how any reasonable intelligent person could possibly think capitulating to Hamas would be a good move. And That is what they are advocating — unilateral withdrawal from Gaza. Like Hamas will be soooooo thankful to Israel that all the hostages will magically be returned.
Lee Also:
They live in a world of fantasy. “Imagine.”
“In his statement, Defrin confirmed that the IDF is working to provide sufficient spaces for Gazan civilians to safely evacuate, as well as to receive aid and medical care.”
Is there some rule that says hamas killers cannot pretend to be innocent Gazan civilians and escape with the crowd ?
Does Israel have the killers dna and photos?
And, still amazing that the same country that will exchange a thousand criminal prisoners for one or two hostages would actually “starve” the innocents.
fullmoon:
You ask, “Is there some rule that says hamas killers cannot pretend to be innocent Gazan civilians and escape with the crowd?”
It happens constantly.
And you ask, “Does Israel have the killers dna and photos?”
Most likely.
Much like America, Israel is doing the right thing after having tried all the alternatives.
The right thing is to recognize that valuing hostages or prisoners above all else leads inevitably to more hostages and prisoners taken. I’m no military strategist, but I knew that trading 1500 criminals and terrorists for one (!) prisoner would lead to disaster. One of the 1500 was a certain Mr Sinwar, the architect of Oct 7.
Bibi has to make some noises to the peace at any cost contingent of Israelis, but there has been a change of attitude and strategy. Israel is accepting that the hostages lives are tragically a sunk cost of their prior stupidity, and additionally they will be accused of “genocide” no matter what they do, so they might as well go ahead and take care of business. They will show some restraint when the cameras are running, but otherwise the gloves are off.
It’s about time.
No matter what Israel does it will be excoriated.
But where are all the protests and posturing against the Wars and Famines in Africa?
Why, it’s almost as if the American Left doesn’t really care about Black people.
Sadly, when all this is over, Bibi will be gone, maybe even prosecuted.
Moral cowardice, rather than the rose colored glasses of “Imagine” lies at the heart of the appeaser.
As far as Israel being excoriated, so what? A saying I’ve heard since I was a kid goes: “If you’re going to have the name you might as well have the game.” They lose nothing by going full bore. Peoples minds are mostly made up already.
SORRY for double post. I meant my above commen for the next thread, not here – posting by phone while doing late dinner mistake, I guess.
I believe that everything between the Israeli people (Jewish and Arab) and the people under Hamas is way more complicated than any news story can begin to explain. One of the leaders of Hamas, I think in the West Bank, has two sisters who are Israeli citizens, married Arab Israelis and his nephews served in the IDF. There are echoes of the American Civil War in the conflicts in Israel.
When I started researching the current conflict, I was shocked at how much land the West Bank covered of what I’ve always thought of as “traditional” Israel. Had to rearrange my thinking on that.
Actually the west bank hamas leader lives in tony london i remember that from gb news,
https://www.gbnews.com/news/hamas-news-muhammad-qassem-sawalha-london-council-house
but the gaza leader has israeli citizens among his relatives
The “West Bank” – the Muslim Jordanian term is utter nonsense.
It is Yehuda (Judea) + Shomron (Samaria.) or the abbreviation: Ayosh. Throw in Gaza and the whole thing is Yesha.
Jerusalem and Bethlehem are in Judea. These are ancient Jewish lands 2,000 before Mohammed.
None of these are “Palestinian” or Muslim lands. They are Israel according to the Jews of Israel. That is what the fighting is about. This is a religious war: Jews vs Muslims.
Pick your side. I choose the Israeli side.
Two sides like the Hostages: Hamas and The Israeli Left. This should not be surprising because today, the West’s Leftist parties have totally allied with Islam and detest Jews and Christians.
Again, choose a side in this now world wide religious conflict.
It is the west bank of the jordan river so it is geographical correct it seems to have been carved into three sections after oslo areas a b and c
https://tbtnisrael.com/areas-a-b-and-c/
The most objective source i can find
Why does the vizier of this region live thousands of miles away
“This is a religious war: Jews vs Muslims.” If most Israeli Jews are non-religious, then this is incorrect. I would say it is a war of Muslims vs Infidels, with aggravating ethnic, tribal and historical elements.
You may not be interested in Islam, but Islam is interested in you.
If ever I am taken hostage by the musloids, consider me already dead.
Don’t try to ransom me. Give them the war they have instigated and obliterate them. Make the rubble bounce, and then turn it to glass.