GNITN - Special Edition

Israel At War – Day 123

Hamas Doubles Down

Response Given

Hamas leaders teased that they would respond to the latest deal on the table for hostages release and it was just as predicted as was Israel’ response as we see in an article from The Times Of Israel:

Israel will not accept Hamas’s conditions for a permanent ceasefire as part of hostage release negotiations, an Israeli government source tells the Kan public broadcaster.

“We will not accept any conditions for ending the war,” says the source.

After over a week of waiting, Hamas finally delivered its response today to an outline hammered out in Paris last weekend with Qatari and Egyptian mediators and with UN and Israeli negotiators. It demanded a “comprehensive and complete ceasefire, and ending the aggression against our people, and guaranteeing relief, shelter, [and] reconstruction, [and] lifting the blockade of the Gaza Strip, and completing a prisoner exchange” — non-starter terms for Israel.

Kan reports that Hamas’s response is interpreted in Israel as a rejection of the proposed outline.

The report went on to say give more specifics of Hamas’ response:

The terror group has doubled down on its demand that the hostage talks must include a permanent ceasefire, an end to the Israeli-Egyptian blockade on Gaza, the reconstruction of the enclave, and the release of Palestinian security prisoners in exchange for 136 remaining hostages, at least 31 of whom are dead. This tally includes two soldiers who were killed in 2014 and whose bodies have been held by Hamas since then.

Even though we know he basics of what Hamas wants, here are excerpts from their statement:

The response from Hamas comes after consultations with mediators in Qatar and Egypt, underscoring the pivotal role of these countries in facilitating negotiations between Hamas and Israel. Hamas also expressed gratitude towards Egypt, Qatar, and other nations involved in efforts.

In their statement, Hamas said, "As we salute our people and their legendary steadfastness and valiant resistance, especially in the Gaza Strip, we affirm all factions are continuing to defend our people, on the path to ending the occupation and realizing their legitimate national rights to their land and sanctities."

Basically both sides are at an impasse after weeks of negotiations. Israel won’t stop the war overall and Hamas demands that it ends before releasing any hostages. I personally don’t see the need for anymore talks no matter how Qatar spins this response.

Not All Hostages Are Still Alive

In a report from The New York Times and cited in an article from The Times Of Israel we read that not all the remaining 136 hostages are still living:

Thirty-two of the more than 130 hostages still held captive by Hamas are no longer alive, according to a report on the eve of the fourth month of the war between Israel and the Gaza terror group that provided an updated picture of the status of the hostages.

Citing a confidential assessment conducted by Israeli intelligence officials, The New York Times reported on Tuesday that more hostages have been killed than previously thought — until now, the IDF had only confirmed the deaths of 29 of the captives still in Gaza.

And more could have perished in captivity:

In addition to the 32 confirmed deaths, the IDF is assessing “unconfirmed intelligence” that at least 20 additional hostages may have also been killed, the report said, quoting four military officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.

This report underscores the reasoning that no matter how many are still alive, time is running out for them. And many of the families missing their loved ones feel that the military campaign is endangering them not increasing the chances they will be released. Citing the actual New York Times report we see how careful the IDF is when releasing any information to the public:

Other hostages may have also already died, but the military has yet to declare them dead because it needs to attain absolute proof before telling their families, according to Avi Kalo, who led a military intelligence department that dealt with prisoners of war and missing people.

“When it comes to the decision about whether to declare a prisoner of war, or a missing person, dead, Israeli intelligence needs 100 percent certainty,” said Mr. Kalo.

“Such a terrible message must not be conveyed except in the case of absolute and final knowledge,” he added.

Sleeper Cells In America?

Attacks on American bases in the Middle East evoked military responses recently, but are we in danger of terrorist attacks on our own shores? An article from CBN.com suggests that could be the case:

New data gathered by U.S. intelligence agencies warns the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah could soon strike Americans. Defense experts agree the terror group has the ability to attack U.S. interests at home, or abroad. "Hezbollah is a very real threat to us here in the United States," Simone Ledeen, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Mid-East Policy, told CBN News. She says the Iran-backed group has a longer reach than many others in the region.

Which could explain why the United States is trying to broker a deal with Israel and Hezbollah if only to keep from being attacked in America. According to Ledeen, Hezbollah sleeper cells are already here:

"They have sleeper cells here in the U.S. in many cities across the country. This has been documented in multiple court cases, and we have reason to believe that they also have caches where they have stored materials around the country, in the event that someone hits the go button to start attacks. I believe they are pretty well prepared. They have been sitting in wait for the order to go, many believe, for years now," Ledeen said.

Ledeen tells us that fears about the war in Israel widening to more of the region are too late:

As official Washington proceeds with caution due to concern about sparking a wider regional conflict, experts like Ledeen warn we're already past that point.

"I think that we, collectively, are in an expanding regional conflict. And as much as we are resisting it right now, and the current administration is resisting responding to it right now, we are in it. So I think, actually, we should be reconsidering our strategic objectives. What's our endgame here, and how do we get from here to there? Because right now, here's not a good place for the United States to be at. It's not in the U.S. interest to be sort of on the defense," Ledeen explained.

She offered this possible way to deal with these threats:

"We need to be aligning with our partners, the Israelis, the British, and some others, and maybe share some targeting packages and start executing some military operations to make sure that the Iranians, but also our other adversaries who are watching, understand that a red line has been crossed. Americans have been killed, the disruption of global shipping is not something that we are willing to accept, and let's sort of change the dynamic," said Ledeen.

The article ends with Ledeen noting that Iran doesn’t want a war with the United States but will not tolerate being “bullied.” But apparently when it comes to Israel, they simply want to totally destroy them.