Typical

Representatives from both Israel and the US are apparently in agreement over how the trapped Hamas terrorists will be handled as we read in a report from Israel Hayom:

The meeting between White House adviser Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump's son-in-law, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu focused almost entirely on the Gaza issue. The Americans want to begin talks on the second phase of the Trump plan, and remove the obstacle posed by the terrorists trapped in tunnels in southern Gaza.

The whole reason this issue is being posed is that Hamas wants to make it one which is exactly what they always do. In past ceasefires they agree to terms but then change them to suit what they want later. These terrorists who have already attacked and killed IDF soldiers are trapped in tunnels inside the yellow line where they should have never been in the first place. There should be no need for negotiating on this: they should be taken, their weapons removed, and then thrown into Israeli prisons. But because Hamas is making it an issue the US is pressuring Israel to release them back to the terrorists. But the US wants to maintain the ceasefire and not cause Hamas to use these trapped terrorists as a reason to back out of the deal which is exactly what Hamas wants:

Netanyahu and Kushner agreed that the issue would be resolved jointly, and that Israel would not take significant action without first informing Washington. In practical terms, this means that although Israel knows where the terrorists are hiding, it will refrain from striking the tunnel or killing them outright, in order to avoid endangering the fragile cease-fire. One of the possible solutions raised was to allow the trapped terrorists to emerge without their weapons into areas under Hamas control.

In a no brainer, Israel doesn’t want these dangerous terrorists to keep their weapons:

Israel is insisting that the terrorists surrender their weapons, viewing that step as symbolic of Hamas's eventual disarmament. In indirect talks between the Americans and Hamas, this idea has been placed on the table. Hamas has not rejected it outright but has demanded that Israel completely halt all strikes. According to Arab reports, the number of terrorists still trapped in the tunnels is likely under 200, and possibly fewer than 100.

Hamas is going to use this issue to stall as they always do. The topic of the remaining hostage bodies also came up:

For Washington, resolving this issue is vital, as it represents a key obstacle to launching the second phase of the process. The meeting also touched on a second matter, the four hostages still held by terrorist organizations in Gaza, which are required to be returned under the Sharm el-Sheikh agreement.

Sticking Points

Israel justifiably won’t go forward until all hostage bodies are returned:

Israel's position is that there will be no progress toward phase two, and even phase one, including reopening the Rafah crossing, will not be completed until all hostages are returned. Arab media reports claim that the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization holds two of the bodies and is refusing to release them without concessions. This information has not been confirmed by Israel. Israeli intelligence assessments indicate that Hamas could immediately return at least one body and a second within a short time, and that it knows the whereabouts of the other two but is deliberately delaying under the pretext of "searches" requiring heavy engineering equipment.

Those terrorists are coordinating the releases to avoid the talks of disarming. Another issues is allowing Turkey to be anywhere near Gaza:

The discussion also addressed Israel's veto on any Turkish participation in the framework that will oversee Gaza as part of a future multinational force. Turkey has ignored this position and publicly claimed that it has already recruited a brigade of 2,000 soldiers for the mission, but Israel considers this a red line, with the Americans accepting Israel's stance. The composition of the international force remains unclear, as—according to Israel Hayom's reporting—no countries besides Turkey have agreed to send troops into Hamas-controlled territory before the terrorist organization disarms.

The international security force isn’t getting off the ground either with one country declining to help until they see a workable plan:

Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to Emirati ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, confirmed this position in a speech at the Abu Dhabi Strategic Forum, saying: "The United Arab Emirates does not yet see a clear framework for the stabilization force. Under these circumstances, it is unlikely that we will participate in such a mission."

As for me, Gaza was given to Israel by God and it should be taken over by the IDF. The same goes for Judea and Samaria which the US doesn’t want Israel annexing. From a Biblical standpoint Israel was given this land a long time ago and they should keep what little land they can control. From a prophetic standpoint they will get much more of it back before the war of Gog and Magog however how it will play out isn’t known. As we pray for the peace of Jerusalem, add these meetings to your prayer list.