T. Belman. I approve of this deal. I also approve of Otzma Yehudah’s negative vote because it is a reminder of the downside.
Frankly, I am surprised that this deal has been acheived. I certainly did not expect it.
Kol Hakovod.
Government approves deal under which 50 living Israelis will be released in batches during a four-day ceasefire. The releases will begin on Thursday.
Israel National News Nov 22, 2023, 2:53 AM (GMT+2)
Cabinet meetingOmer Miron/GPO
The government overnight Tuesday approved the deal for the release of some of the hostages being held in Gaza in exchange for the release of Palestinian Arab terrorists who are imprisoned in Israel and at least four days of a ceasefire.
The Religious Zionist Party voted in favor of the deal after a consultation among the members of the faction. The ministers from Otzma Yehudit voted against the deal.
According to the outline, 50 living Israelis will be released in several batches throughout the four days of the ceasefire.
Every day, 12 to 13 hostages will be released. For every 10 additional Israeli hostages who are released – another day of a pause in the fighting will be given.Israeli officials believe that in addition to the 50 hostages, Hamas can release another 30 Israelis.
Accordingly, 140 terrorists will also be released in several phases. The IDF will continue to encircle the northern Gaza Strip. In addition, fuel will only enter Gaza during the days of the ceasefire. The IDF and the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) will continue intelligence gathering operations.
Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar has pledged to return 30 out of 40 children. About 8 out of 13 mothers will be returned, and an additional 12 elderly women will be returned as well.
The Israeli government said in an official statement on Tuesday night: “The Israeli government is committed to bringing home all the hostages. Tonight, the government approved the outline for the first stage of achieving this goal, according to which at least 50 hostages – women and children – will be released over 4 days, during which there will be a lull in the fighting. The release of every ten additional hostages will result in an additional day of respite.”
“The Israeli government, the IDF and the security forces will continue the war in order to return all the hostages, complete the elimination of Hamas and ensure that there is no renewed threat from Gaza to the State of Israel,” the statement added.
During the discussion, a confrontation broke out between ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Benny Gantz, after Smotrich expressed concern that Hamas would extend the truce beyond what was agreed upon and announce that it had found more hostages.
Gantz replied to Smotrich: “What kind of question is this? We are telling you that this is the deal. What, do you trust us less than Sinwar?”
Meanwhile, Culture Minister Miki Zohar criticized National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, and asked why Otzma Yehudit gathered for a faction meeting before the cabinet meeting. Ben Gvir replied to Zohar: “Because we saw everything in the media before the meeting, so it is very good that we held a meeting. We are not united. This is a that could cause damage for years to come and that will harm us badly.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke at the start of the meeting, and made clear to the ministers that the deal would include visits by the Red Cross to those hostages who will not be released and will include the supply of medicine. The ministers were told that the first day of the ceasefire will be on Thursday and the first batch of hostages will be released that day.
The Prime Minister also promised the ministers that at the end of the ceasefire and the release of the hostages – the fighting against Hamas in Gaza will be resumed with all its might.
“We are at war – and will continue the war. We will continue the war until we achieve all of our war aims: To eliminate Hamas, return all of our hostages and our missing, and ensure that there is no element in Gaza that threatens Israel,” said Netanyahu.
He recalled, “Yesterday evening, I met, together with the members of the War Cabinet, members of the hostages’ families. I listened closely to their plight. With shaking voices, sometimes in tears, they described the nightmare they are in. I told the dear families: ‘Returning our hostages is a sacred and supreme task – and I am obligated to it together with my colleagues. As Maimonides says: There is no greater precept than redeeming captives.”
“We will not relent in our efforts until we redeem them all, until we return them all, the boys and girls, the mothers and fathers, the young men and women, the elderly men and women, the male and female soldiers, all of them,” he stated, adding, “In war there are stages, and in returning the hostages there are stages, but we will not relent until we achieve the absolute victory and until we bring them all back. This is my sacred duty, of all of us.”
“In recent days, I have spoken with our friend, US President Joe Biden and I requested his intervention in order to improve the outline that will be presented to you. Indeed, it has been improved to include more hostages and at a lower cost. These talks have been productive. President Biden joined in the effort and I thank him for it. Before you this evening, now, is a difficult decision but it is the correct decision. All of the security agencies fully support it; they have made it completely clear in their professional assessment, that the security of our forces will be ensured during the pause and that the intelligence effort will be maintained in those days. They have made it clear that not only will the war effort not be harmed, it will enable the IDF to prepare for the continuation of the fighting,” said Netanyahu.
The Prime Minister reiterated, “The war is continuing and the war will continue until we achieve all of our goals – Eliminating Hamas, returning all of our hostages and assuring that the day after Hamas, Gaza will no longer threaten Israel, that there will be no other element that supports terrorism, educates its children for terrorism and threatens the State of Israel. With G-d’s help, we will do it and we will succeed – and together we will win.”
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said, “In the coming hours and days we will be required to make important decisions. The focused, professional and precise operations of the IDF will lead to the results that we hope to achieve in the near future.”
“As a result of the decision taken about a month ago to intensify our ground operations, to enter [Gaza] and to increase the pressure on Hamas, there is now a chance to create a plan that will lead to the release of hostages. I view the release of hostages first and foremost as an issue related to values – a moral issue, an issue that points to the [unwritten] agreement between the State, the government and its citizens. All members of the cabinet, all the members of the IDF, ISA, and Mossad, everyone who is working on the issue of the hostages and missing persons – is dedicating all their time, soul and energy to this issue, day and night,” he added.
“IDF soldiers risk their lives every day, and we see the results. For me, the release of the hostages is of immense value. We all see the pictures, the videos, the people [around us] and think about the [kidnapped] children, soldiers, adults, and Holocaust survivors- and we all understand how important this is.”
“At the same time, without continuing [military] pressure, there will be no chance of bringing [home] additional hostages. Therefore, upon my request and that of the defense establishment, the government has included in its decision, the unequivocal demand that immediately after we have exhausted this phase, all operations by the IDF, ISA and all the security forces, will continue in full force – first in order to defeat Hamas, and secondly, in order to create the necessary conditions to bring home additional hostages,” said the Minister of Defense.
“I would like to take this opportunity together with all members of the government, to express my appreciation, and the appreciation I am sure we share, for all the security forces that are fighting in this war – the IDF, ISA, and Mossad, and every single person working on the issue of the hostages and missing persons. We have a great establishment, and a large part of its strength is in the unity that is demonstrated by this forum, in the government, in the cabinet and in the war cabinet. Thank you very much,” he concluded.
In Van Helzing …the “hoiker” (hunchback) makes this point
“It’s what I do” meaning it’s his nature.
I wonder if one could 100% show that a current action to save
a hostage’s life would result in 10 other innocent lives lost in the future
– a real look forward – then what?
maybe we have that ….Shalit is the example
I think I could convincingly argue that the Shalit trade
resulted directly into this massacre and more.
nonetheless …it is our nature
I can understand the government’s decision to relieve the pain of the hostages’ families and demonstrate the Jewish respect for life. At the same time, I don’t think it’s a the best way forward. It is only too obvious that this decision was as much the result of Biden’s pressure on the Israeli government as it was the need to respect individual lives. Biden’s popularity is suffering at home, so he pressures Israel to act against her own interests, and this has been the pattern in Israel’s past – limited – conflicts. She was made to withdraw before full victory had been achieved. Now, it’s time to cease listening to outside voices and to push on with what is best for Israel and her own citizens, that is, bringing this war to a decisive victory. We know it will be bloody and lengthy and that goes against Jewish values, but the greater good is to end Hamas’s influence permanently and to ensure Gaza never again becomes a launchpad for anti-Zionist aggression.
this deal is an existential mistake
hat tip daveg77
“Is it a Jewish ideal, or just a western one? In the interests of saving lives, serving justice, and fair outcomes, we don’t allow doctors to operate on their own wives or husbands. We also don’t allow judges to rule on the crimes of their immediate families, and we don’t demand that a wife testify against her husband. Yes, if I had a son or daughter who was a hostage, it would break my heart to not be allowed to foist my point of view on Israel’s government. I believe that the families should be given all possible sympathy, assistance and love, but that they shouldn’t attempt, or be allowed, to influence governmental or military decisions. If it were me, I would hope that I’d retained the courage, the presence of mind, and the caring about all other Jewish lives to understand what is necessary. Every individual’s life is an entire universe; however, it’s most unfortunate, but we need to learn from our repeated, historical mistakes that it’s better to save 10,000 lives than to save 200.”
https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-774363
I think this will end the way it always has in the past. Israel will do what USA wants and it is never good for Israel. I hate to say this but taking a leap into future one can see what is coming. Oct 7 will be repeated many times over before Israel cuts all ties and influence with America. They should not let America dictate their internal policy and tell them how to fight their wars. It’s one thing to have a friend, it is quite another to let that friend make all your decisions that matter in your family affairs. Israel has not learnt to stand up for themselves, and I afraid there is more pain in their future.
This is a good beginning.
The hostages will return, bit by bit. The families will have some relief.
The long term issues remain: Is Israel going to be led forward, back, inside out and upside down by the US government who caused all of this, or will Israel decide her own fate, and not have to ask permission from the US beforehand?
This is a long term problem. Both the US government, the EU, and the UN have professed concern for Israel when Israel is attacked, and then immediately withdraw their concern for Israel as soon as Israel fights back.
This pathological situation cannot continue. Israelis end up dead and their families suffer the rest of their lives, all because the world’s governing elites just do not care enough about Israel to respect her sovereignty. They interfere in every way possible, so that here is Israel: 75 years after her founding, and after the War required of her in order to survive the founding: enemies to the north, poised to attack, enemies to the east poised to attack, and enemies to the south who already attacked. The West Bank population is always ready to attack people in their homes, while the world or the US government will blame Israel for “settler violence.”
Israel has endured 75 years of this. The world’s elites want it to continue. I think Israel is going to have to liberate herself from these busy bodies who pretend to care but really don’t. The Arabs have spent the last 50 years turning world opinion in their favor, while world wide antisemitism has metastasized.
I don’t quite understand the reason Israelis accept this situation. They can see, far better than an American like me can see, that the US government has been very damaging to Israel, especially since Obama, and now Biden. With all their empowerment of Iran, this attack on Israel was essentially paid for by the US government, and instigated by the current US government.
What do others think about this?.