It’s been nearly two weeks since the terrorist group Hamas took at least 200 hostages in Israel and spirited them back to Gaza. The hostages include women and children, old and young. We know that Hamas didn’t take hostages as an afterthought. A document found by the Israeli military goes into excruciating detail about how to first “cleanse the battlefield, then how to abduct them, and how to treat them.” (The manual includes language like, “Kill the difficult ones.”)
The hostage-taking, according to the manual, is meant to happen “in the field,” in areas that have been “cleansed” and brought under control. After the hostages are brought together, it says, they should be culled (“kill those expected to resist and those that pose a threat”); the others should be bound and blindfolded, then “reassured,” to keep them docile. “Use them as human shields,” it says, and use “electric shocks” to force compliance.
Sadly, with the hostages in Gaza, there’s a chance that some of them have already perished in the unrelenting Israeli bombardment. Otherwise, it’s likely they’re being held in widely scattered locations with no more than a handful being held in one spot.
The Israelis are taking a hard line toward aid to Gaza as long as the hostages are being held. The only aid that will reach Palestinian civilians will come through the crossing into Gaza from Egypt. All other access to Gaza will be blocked until the hostages are released.
In New York Times Square, a massive “Bring them home” rally was held to bring attention to the hostages. The rally was organized by the Israeli-American Council and supported by dozens of Jewish groups. Thousands of people attended the rally, which featured a sea of American and Israeli flags and photos of many of the 200 hostages.
Rally in Times Square for release of hostages pic.twitter.com/kxiIw10a5p
— ES (@ES55112373) October 20, 2023
Qatari mediators have said they have tried to negotiate freedom for Israeli women and children seized by Hamas in return for the release of 36 Palestinian women and children from Israel’s prisons, a source briefed on the talks told Reuters. So far, there has been no indication a deal might be at hand.
Turkey is also talking with Hamas to secure the release of foreigners, civilians and children, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Tuesday. He told state-run Andalou news agency that countries including the U.S. and Germany have asked for help from Turkey on winning the release of their citizens.
U.S. President Joe Biden said his administration is “workin’ like hell” to find American hostages held by Hamas. The U.S. has sent a small team of special operations forces to Israel to help with intelligence and planning for any eventual operations to rescue the hostages.
Related: BREAKING: Hamas Reportedly Releases Two American Hostages
Meanwhile, a Hamas spokesman announced that two Americans — a mother and a daughter — were being released by the Al-Qassam Brigades thanks to the efforts of Qatar.
It is unclear whether they will leave Gaza into Egypt or Israel. This is the result of the negotiations between Qatar and Hamas that started after Hamas abducted around 200 people from Israel on October 7.
In a statement, Hamas spokesperson Abu Obaida said: “In response to Qatari efforts, Al-Qassam Brigades released two American citizens (a mother and her daughter) for humanitarian reasons, and to prove to the American people and the world that the claims made by Biden and his fascist administration are false and baseless.”
I’m not sure what releasing one percent of the hostages “proves” except that Hamas is a bunch of heartless, soulless monsters. At any rate, we’ll believe the mother and daughter are released when we see them in American custody.
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