The first item this morning was an announcement that the hostage release will delayed for another day. Why? Because Qatar and Hamas have not yet signed the agreement. This sounds to me like an invented excuse. As I warned before, Hamas will look for any way possible to drag this out.
Hizbullah said the “pause” will apply to the Lebanon border, too. That might mean they are going to take advantage of it to get away from the escalation cycle that has been developing there. Most Lebanese would like that to happen, but Iran has been spreading threats that the war will expand (probably because the US doesn’t want a wider war).
The most interesting rumor is that some Arab leaders have been telling Hamas head Yihya Sinwar to give up in order to save innocent Palestinians. According to the rumors I heard, he is being told he might have a chance to hold on to some kind of political power if he quits now. That part of the rumor is one I don’t believe.
Finally, in the Hutzpa department, Turkey has offered to provide troops to police Post-War Gaza in support of whatever government or agency replaces Hamas.
Wetherhorn 