Trump. Biden, Israel, and Hamas

A Costly Cease-Fire Deal

. . ."With that said, the deal exacts a significant price on Israel. Israelis will be required to withdraw from parts of Gaza that were wrested from terrorists after months of deadly urban warfare. Israel will also be required to release dozens of Palestinian prisoners for each hostage set free. Specifically, for every female Israeli soldier hostage returned, Israelis will have to hand over 50 Palestinian prisoners, including 30 serving life sentences. In another cruel twist, the 33 hostages (who are a mix of living and dead captives) will not be released all at once, but only gradually over the course of the 42-day initial phase.

"Furthermore, at the end of the first phase, Hamas will retain more than 60 hostages. Securing their release will require significant additional concessions from Israelis in phases two and three. Concessions will likely involve the release of thousands of prisoners, an end to Israel’s war on Hamas, and a full withdrawal from Gaza." . . .

Is the Israel-Hamas ceasefire a good thing or a bad one?  

"Israel’s Knesset has approved the ceasefire with Hamas, so it’s a done deal...for now. Whether it will remain done is another question entirely. What is certain is that many who love Israel believe it was a disastrous deal. They are angry at both President-Elect Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. I, however, am more sanguine. I think it was a necessary deal for Israel and that it won’t be a disaster in the future." . . .

. . ."And that’s the why and how of Phase 1. Israel gets some of its innocent civilian hostages, Gaza gets back lots of people who actively engaged in warfare and murder, both sides get a break from combat, and Gaza residents return home.

"If that phase lasts, phase 2 sees living male hostages go back to Israel (assuming there are any), and Israel withdraws troops from Gaza. And in phase 3, the two sides release bodies, Israel works on helping rebuild Gaza, and the borders that Israel has sealed (especially with Egypt, through which arms come) are reopened.

"People, obviously, are worried about the Israeli withdrawal and the borders being reopened. It seems to set the stage for starting the cycle all over, especially because Hamas’s new leader, safely ensconced in Qatar, proudly boasted that this is what he plans to do: . . ."

Alan M. Dershowitz, who claimed OJ Simpson was framed, would say a bad deal: It Wasn't a Deal – It Was a Crime   

"The decision by the Israeli government to make significant concessions to the Hamas kidnappers should never be called a "deal." It was an extortion. Would you call it a deal if somebody kidnapped your child and you "agreed" to pay ransom to get her back? Of course not. The kidnapping was a crime. And the extortionate demand was an additional crime.

"So the proper description of what occurred is that Israel, pressured by the United States, capitulated to the unlawful and extortionate demands of Hamas as the only way of saving the lives of kidnapped babies, mothers and other innocent, mostly civilian, hostages.

"This was not the result of a negotiation between equals. If an armed robber puts a gun to your head and says, "your money or your life," your decision to give him your money would not be described as a deal. Nor should the extorted arrangement agreed to by Israel be considered a deal. So let's stop using that term." . . .

Children found ‘butchered’ in Israeli kibbutz, IDF says, as horror of Hamas’ attacks near border begins to emerge | CNN 2023:   . . ."Babies and toddlers were found “decapitated” in Kfar Aza, Tal Heinrich, a spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said Wednesday. CNN could not independently verify that report, and Hamas said media reports about attacking children were false. 

"This comes after the IDF told CNN Tuesday that the killings at Kfar Aza amounted to a “massacre.”