The IDF ring around central Gaza city keeps getting tighter. Hamas efforts to get international intervention, even just to support a “humanitarian” cease-fire, keep getting more desperate. The numbers of dead in Jebalya reported by Hamas changed again today. It started as 400, dropped to 200, then 50, and now it is climbing back up. But more important than those numbers are the numbers of individuals and agencies crying for a cease-fire. The “imminent” collapse of all medical care which has been reported for at least a week is now going to happen “soon”. The ploy of releasing holders of foreign passports via Rafiah has not yet gained Hamas any more allies (although Bahrein did sever ties with Israel that had been established as part of the Abraham Accords). I wonder how much longer it will be before the Hamas forces begin to disintegrate. How long will their desire to remain alive exceed their education to become “martyrs”?
Much of the media still talks about the densely populated areas of Gaza as if the hundreds of thousands that left for the southern sections were still living in the combat zone. That idea is aimed at making the argument for a cease-fire to protect the civilians stronger. Just a few days ago Hamas terrorists were blocking the roads leading south and actually shooting at Palestinians who tried to follow IDF instructions to get away from the fighting.
Holders of foreign passports are still getting through to Egypt. It’s worthwhile to listen to what they have to say when they are no longer under the threat of Hamas guns.
Meanwhile, the Israeli police found a handful of Gazans hiding in the Arab East Jerusalem Al Muqassid Hospital. None of them had documents or work permits allowing them to stay in Israel. It’s possible that they may have come prior to the Hamas massacre as escorts or companions to Gazans who had been admitted for treatment. The director of the hospital is being questioned about their presence (and, I assume, why he had not reported that they were there). Other Gazans , with permits, that found themselves inside Israel are being kept in a military facility (NOT a prison).
Hamas has already begun preparing a cover story for the fate of their hostages. Humanitarian law requires the captors to keep them safe. But Hamas has said that some of them already died in Israeli air strikes. To me, that sounds like just another ploy to try to reach a cease-fire. They already tried the ides of separating and releasing captives that have foreign or dual nationality (Israeli plus ?) status. The response to that offer was that ALL the kidnap victims needed to be released, together.
Wetherhorn 