Under the first phase of the ceasefire, “33 hostages, eight of whom Hamas says are dead” are to be released, “in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.” The jihadists being set free are deemed heroes, and those who were killed are considered “martyrs” for being killed while in the process of killing Israelis of any age. Everyone knows that Hamas prisoners will be back out on their jihad missions immediately. October 7 mastermind and leader Yahya Sinwar was himself released during a prisoner exchange agreement with Israel. In 1989, Sinwar was sentenced to four life sentences in Israel for planning, abducting and killing two Israeli soldiers, along with four Palestinians who collaborated with him. After spending just over two decades in jail, he was released among 1,026 others in a 2011 prisoner exchange for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. He became head of Hamas in Gaza and the October 7 mastermind.
As expected, Hamas has already “reasserted its control over Gaza since the ceasefire took hold last month,” yet the Muslim Brotherhood offshoot demands, in a second phase, the “end to the war and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from the narrow territory along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.” Only then will the remaining hostages be freed.
Based on Trump’s no-nonsense approach, Netanyahu will likely gain Trump’s full backing to double down on Hamas as the group continues to regroup and attack more Israelis. They will, one hopes, end up no longer operational in Gaza.
Don’t miss this insightful interview with former Israeli Ambassador to the U.S., Michael Oren, who explains the Israel/Hamas hostage negotiations and the impossible choices Israel faces.
“Trump, Netanyahu to discuss war in Gaza, along with Iran, Arab relations,” Voice of America, February 2, 2025:
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday he will discuss his country’s self-declared “victory over Hamas,” countering Iranian aggression and expanding diplomatic relations with Arab countries as he meets this week with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House.
Trump Tuesday is set to greet Netanyahu, the first foreign head of state he is meeting with since taking office for a second four-year term two weeks ago. Trump has been a long-time ally of Netanyahu and dispatched his Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, to help broker the current six-week ceasefire in Israel’s war against Hamas and hostage-for-prisoner exchange.
But even as the militants have freed 18 hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, difficult negotiations lie ahead on the second phase of the truce.
Hamas, a U.S. designated terror group, has quickly reasserted its control over Gaza since the ceasefire took hold last month, despite Israel saying it would not allow that to occur. The militants have said they will not release more hostages slated to go free in the second phase of the truce without an end to the war and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from the narrow territory along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.
Netanyahu is under mounting pressure from far-right governing partners to resume the war after the first phase of the truce ends in early March….
Billy says
Islam and its Muslims are against America, Israel, and all Non-Muslims as taught in Islam’s Quran. Moreover, Islam is a MUSLIM TERRORIST ORGANIZATION against Non-Muslims and NOT A PEACEFUL RELIGION UNDER WESTERN LAWS(Quran 2:216; 4:95; 8:12,39,74; 9:5,29,41,49, 21:921; 88,111,123;21:92; 49:15 and more). More specifically, Islam is a Muslim Terrorist Ideology and Criminal Enterprise of continuous war, discrimination, segregation, supremacy, genocide, polygamy, propaganda, deceit, hatred, incitement, sedition, rape, terrorism, and violence against all Non-Muslims as taught in the Quran. Fundamentally, Islam funds, teaches, and promotes a Terrorist Criminal Organization with Muslims as Terrorists for Allah. The FRUIT of Islam is incessant WAR, terrorism, discrimination, malice, and violence against all Non-Muslims; this FACT must be taught and broadcast to the general public to prohibit Islam, its Mosques, and its Schools. Also, Islam is an Antichrist System terrorizing Israel, Christians, and Non-Muslims. Plus, there is NO EQUALITY UNDER THE LAW in Islam or in Islamic Law(Quran 98:6-7; 9:29 and more). In Sahih Bukhari(V6,B60,N80), Abu Huraira narrates, “‘You(Muslims) are the best of peoples ever raised for mankind.’ means, the best of peoples for the people, as you bring them[Non-Muslims] with chains on their necks till they embrace Islam[see Quran 3:110].” See also Quran 3:22,151; 69:30-32; 98:6.
Non-Muslims CANNOT have peace with Islam and its Muslims because Islam and its murderous god, Allah, demand a continuous, Muslim war against unbelievers where Non-Muslims are CRIMINALS under Islam when Allah in Qur’an 8:39 says, “And engage in war with them[Non-Muslims] until there will not be sedition and the religion will be completely to Allah…” HENCE, NON-MUSLIMS MUST MAKE ISLAM, ITS MOSQUES, ITS SCHOOLS, ITS ORGANIZATIONS, ETC. ILLEGAL UNDER THE LAW. Similarly, Islam and its many Organizations must be identified and publicly declared to be MUSLIM TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS for their funding, teaching, and support of terrorism, violence, and discrimination against Non-Muslims(eg. Quran 9:5,29,111 and more).
Western Muslims seek to ensure Islam’s legitimacy against Non-Muslim societies, to impose Islamic Law in Western Legal Systems, and to advance Islam’s totalitarian goals to conquer the West. Consequently, Islam promotes a limitless, terroristic, Muslim war against unbelievers when Allah in Qur’an 49:15 says, “Surely the believers are only those who believed in Allah and his messenger. They do not doubt, and they performed JIHAD with THEIR MONEY AND THEIR LIVES for the sake of Allah. Those are the truthful.”
Deceitful Allah promises Heavenly Paradise to Muslims for acts of Muslim killing in a terrorist attacks against Non-Muslims and hypocrites when Quran 9:111 says, “Surely Allah has purchased from the believers[Muslims] their souls and their money so that they may have the garden[Heavenly Paradise]. They engage in war for the sake of Allah, so they kill and are killed…”
࿗Infidel࿘ says
So far, how many of the Israeli hostages have been released under this ceasefire, and how many – dead or alive – remain?
Andrew Blackadder says
Once all the Hostages are back in Israel dead or alive, then the Israeli machine should hunt down every single Jihadi they let out of Prison for a ”free hostage deal” and do too them what they did to the bastards that funded and organized the Munch Massacre in 1972.
Hunt them all down..
I was living in the Olympic Village at that time and I was in love with a beautiful woman from Tel Aviv..