While American Secretary of State Blinken is telling the world that Israel is accepting the terms the US proposed for a hostage deal and urging Hamas to do the same, the IDF has recovered 6 more bodies of people kidnapped in October. The bodies have been identified, and the families notified.
Despite the official list of over 100 victims still being held by Hamas, it’s clear that many, probably more than half, are already dead. I need to repeat the requirements of the conventions on warfare that apply to Hamas (even if Hamas doesn’t agree). Non-combatant civilians should never be taken prisoner, and any who taken captive should be released IMMEDIATELY. It was not done.
The whole world ought to be condemning Hamas for what they HAVE done. There is no way that any claim about other people (Gazan Palestinians) suffering can justify the wanton murder of innocent non-combatant civilians. Their only crime seems to have been assumed to be Jews because they were abducted from inside Israeli territory. No one should allow themselves to be distracted by other issues. Killing kidnap victims has nothing to do with ANY political claims or motivations that Hamas may dredge up. No death of any other individual in any circumstance can be used as excuse for this crime. Anyone who even tries to do so is defining themselves as an accessory to the murder.
Wetherhorn 