Everyone is playing the “grab the Headlines” game. Hamas started by saying they would delay releasing hostages. Trump then said ALL the hostages out by Sunday. Netanyahu modified that asking for only 9 live hostages. Now Hamas is back to “let’s all abide by the original agreement” I.e., We’ll release 3 on Saturday.
Iran found a ‘hidden’ way to pay Hezbollah to rearm. They sent planeloads of cash via Beirut airport. When Israel exposed the trick, the Lebanese sent an Iranian plane back to Tehran, citing suspicion of cash smuggling. Air traffic at both Tehran and Beirut was disrupted. The Lebanese sent one of their own planes to bring back stranded Lebanese. Meanwhile, the IDF continues to locate Hezbollah arms caches in southern Lebanon and either capture or destroy them.
Negotiations with Hamas (indirect) appear to be stalled. The principal Hamas demand was for hundreds of “caravans”. A caravan in local Israeli terminology is a pre-fab portable home, a bit larger than a shipping container, and equipped with external connections for water, electricity, and sewage. Hamas wants hundreds of them. Israel is not supplying any; probably because there is no specific mention of them in the agreements so far. Similarly, Israel is not supplying construction materials to Hamas. Last time they use it to build tunnels and fortifications (and gorgeous expansive homes for the Hamas leaders and friends).
Food aid statistics released recently seem to show that Gaza has received enough aid to provide every individual in the strip with 3000 calories daily over the entire period. To put that in perspective, in 1918 that was the allotment received by allied front line soldiers. German soldiers at that time made do with only 2800 calorie diets (that dropped to around 2500 per day by the end of the war}. No wonder Hamas (and the UN) said their people were on the verge of starvation.
It’s Valentines Day. Lets all love another before we go back to killing each other tomorrow.
Wetherhorn 