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Posted on 10/12/2025 5:16:59 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
Under the first phase of the new cease-fire deal, all of the living hostages in Gaza are expected to be released in the next 24 hours in exchange for about 2,000 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.
Israelis and Palestinians prepared on Sunday for an exchange of all of the living hostages still held in Gaza for about 2,000 Palestinians imprisoned in Israel, the cornerstone of a new cease-fire agreement.
The Israeli government said the exchange was expected to begin on Monday morning local time, but Israel was prepared for it to happen even sooner. Under the agreement, Israel is supposed to free the Palestinian prisoners — scores of them serving life terms for deadly attacks on Israelis — in parallel with the hostage releases.
“This is a historic event that blends sorrow over the release of murderers and joy over the return of hostages,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel said in a recorded statement broadcast on Sunday evening.
On both sides, there was relief mixed with elation after two devastating years of war. Adding to the hope: The open-ended truce between Israel and Hamas, which was brokered by the United States and Arab mediators and began at noon on Friday, appeared to be holding over the weekend.
As part of the first phase of the cease-fire deal, Israeli forces have withdrawn to a new defensive line inside Gaza.
The war created a dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and the deal provides a pathway for desperately needed food, medicine and other supplies, which are starting to flow in.
Isabel Kershner, a Times correspondent in Jerusalem,...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
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I hope the released hamas terrorists were implanted with high explosives. This is a HUGE victory for Hamas.
When is Hamas going to rewrite their manifesto(declaration) to allow Israel to exist?
I’m very cynical on this.
So, I pray for peace and hostage returns. Can we have a little peace ever?
Does any gambling site have an over/under between on how long before one of those two thousand released criminals is caught or killed committing a terrorist act? I’ll take the under bet.
“”I hope the released hamas terrorists were implanted with high explosives. This is a HUGE victory for Hamas.””
While... it may truly be a miracle for Israel to finally get the hostages, both dead and alive, back.... this only bodes ill for the future... since it gives the terrorists huge incentive to take even more hostages henceforth. 2,000 terrorists for 50 innocents, half of which are already dead, having been tortured and brutally murdered? Sorry, but I’m not seeing any consequences for the bad guys here. It feels like the bad behavior is being rewarded to me. Am I wrong?
Remember the cell phone bombs that Israel used to target terrorists? They all went off in the terrorist’s pockets.
Maybe something similar is in the works for the 2000 Palestinian terrorist hostages being released to Hamas.
Don't see how. They are giving up all their leverage.
Color me skeptical, but I have a feeling that not all the hostages will be released. Hamas is a nest of vipers.
They’ll drag their feet for as long as possible. “We’re not sure where the last 10 are. We’re looking through all the tunnels now, and we’re just not sure. It’s possible that the IDF killed them when they were blowing up the tunnels”.
Because if they release them all, and then they FA, they can FO without injuring any Israelis.
“this only bodes ill for the future... since it gives the terrorists huge incentive to take even more hostages henceforth.
That would be true if there weren’t two years of serious bombardment with many bad actors killed along the way. They will not undertake another 10/07 lightly.”
____________________________________________________________
There’s no appetite for additional hostage taking, and won’t likely be for some period. Hamas has just caused or sustained the deaths of something like 75,000 people, Iran has been castrated, and even Qatar is no longer a sanctuary. It’s like watching boxers in the 12th round of a bloody fight.
***
I disagree. I don't think the bombardment has bothered the terrorists that much, frankly. I don't see them reacting logically or sanely. The deaths don't matter, they simply recruit more. The destruction doesn't matter, it's what they live for. So no... I don't see them worrying about the "fallout" from another Oct. 7 at all.
Look at the news stories about how Hamas is acting even now, on the supposed eve of a hostage release, as part of the "peace" plan. Dozens killed? The peace plan doesn't look very peaceful to me.
On one hand, Hamas is trying to re-establish control of Gaza...supposedly with Trump's temporary blessing ...
"US President Donald Trump appeared to support Hamas's bid to maintain order in Gaza in comments on Air Force One on Sunday."
and YET... they have promised to "step down" from power in Gaza... even while refusing to surrender weapons and demilitarize, per Israel's demands. No, they're leading us (the world) on here. I'm seeing a whole bunch of empty promises and illogical rhetoric. I'm thinking they are just toying with us... and having fun with it. They must think that the people in 'the West' are really naive and stupid. They may be right.
***
Hamas-tribal clashes sees dozens killed as new phase for Gaza begins
"Hamas has pledged to step down from power in Gaza in favour of an independent administration as part of Trump's peace plan.
How and when Hamas will hand over power to a transitional authority is yet to be negotiated and is likely to be highly contentious.
The Palestinian group has refused to meet Israel's demands to surrender its weapons and demilitarise the territory."
https://www.newarab.com/news/hamas-clashes-see-dozens-killed-new-phase-gaza-begins
What you see and what they are thinking can be two different things. A LOT of high ranking guys got killed . The remainder know that. Trump has dried up a lot of the funding. Individual bad actors will always be an issue, but they can be dealt with on that level. 10/07 took months or years of planning. Without the hostages, Israel can strike back if necessary.
“”What you see and what they are thinking can be two different things. A LOT of high ranking guys got killed . The remainder know that. Trump has dried up a lot of the funding. Individual bad actors will always be an issue, but they can be dealt with on that level. 10/07 took months or years of planning. Without the hostages, Israel can strike back if necessary.””
Yes, I understand what you’re saying. From my observations, what they’re thinking is always different from what they’re saying.
Problem is ... what I’m seeing doesn’t jive with what they’re supposed to be doing... ie PEACEFUL activities, not the same killing stuff they love to do. And no, I don’t care if it’s just Arab clan members that they’re killing. They’re not supposed to be killing anyone right now. And yet...
From the article I posted, I don’t see it as an “individual bad actors” deal. I’m seeing the ssdd radicals, still very well armed, under ‘new’ leadership doing their usual chaos and killing over the weekend (27 dead in Gaza).
So now, 25 live hostages have been released and once again, that is only a “partial” hostage release (correct me if I’m wrong). Right now, everyone is all happy and celebrating. But... I’m worroed about how many ‘more’ innocents are going to be killed by those 2,000 bad guys released to Hamas ... in order to get those live hostages finally released?
I get what you’re saying here, and I’d love to feel all happy and celebratory too, but my spidey sense is telling me that it is false hope. I pray that I’m wrong and you’re right... but at this moment in time, only God knows the truth of this issue and how it will play out.
Your points are valid. In the world of the possible, I see this as a better outcome than alternatives. Yes, they got 2,000 bad guys back, but subtracting collateral deaths, well over 10,000 equally bad guys were dispatched over the last two years. The beeper bombs alone got a lot of high ranking folks who thought they were out of reach. Iran certainly felt Trump taking care of the nuke program. The price they paid for terror was high, and extending the war for 20 years like we did in Afghanistan would have yielded diminishing returns.
“”The price they paid for terror was high, and extending the war for 20 years like we did in Afghanistan would have yielded diminishing returns.””
We should have never gotten involved in Afghanistan. The Russkies did and finally gave up and withdrew. What did our guys think? That even if Russia failed, we could do better? A hold my beer deal? Idiots, all.
But back to Gaza. I can tell that you have high hopes and I would also like to, but my usual paranoia coupled with what I’ve observed and know about the radicals keeps me from celebrating quite yet.
That inner knowledge is telling me that it doesn’t matter to them, how many of their numbers is killed. They, being a death cult, will just keep recruiting more and more to do their evil deeds. And releasing 2,000 more evil activists upon an innocent civilian area is... in my logic book... a no-win scenario for our side.
I keep thinking that this world can’t get any more surreal. And lo and behold... I find that it does.
Thanks for the discussion.
Hamas is getting back their soldiers. Hamas will only be renamed to something like “Democratic Hamas” (We’re not Hamas, we’re Democratic Hamas” HT Bernie Sanders) and the same terrorist scum who run it now will be reinstalled in another leadership position. They will wait out the clock with another 100 billion dollars to rebuild their weapon cache and bunkers. They’ll invade yet again in a later date and the world will stamp their feet and blame Israel again.
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