WAR! What is it good for?

Proper stoking the fire, is @Archers Road boy.

 

Several times now Hamas has offered to release all of the hostages. Right at the start there was an offer to release them all in exchange for the release of all Palestinian prisoners and during the ceasefire when Phase 2 was supposed to start, then offered to release them all again in exchange for IDF troops withdrawing. I think there have been some other occasions during the conflict, where all of the hostages were offered for release.

I know Israel will have it's own concerns about those conditions, but the opportunity has been there for Israel to accept that Hamas would release them all, so the over simplified, 'All Hamas need to do to end this is release the hostages' isn't actually that accurate.

It looks a lot like Netanyahu is more concerned with trying to obliterate Gaza and wipe out the population than he is with returning the hostages.

 

A Palestinian state shouldn't be linked to what Hamas have or haven't done. It's a fundamental right of Palestinians to have self determination. And what happens in Gaza also shouldn't define the future of the West Bank either.

But I do agree with @brb that it shouldn't be used as a bargaining chip to put pressure on Israel. It either is a fundamental right, or it's not. It shouldn't be conditional on what batshit mental warmongers on both sides decide to do.

Mick Lynch for PM btw

 

Unfortunately some people will exploit situations for their own gain, and that's clearly happening in Gaza too.

Remember when there was a shortage of hand sanitiser and covid testing kits. Folk were trying to sell them for like £200 on ebay

 

For me it demonstrated a massive weakness from Starmer when put under pressure, and not being able to handle the situation. Surely he has advisors, he needs to sack them and get some new people in. 200 MP's put in a petition and Keir has literally panicked.

You either recognise the state or you don't it can't be an 'IF' level of bargaining chip, this aint a ****ing board game.

 

Everything he says there is spot on

Netanyahu doesn't want to end that war as his power base would collapse and he'd face criminal charges.

As for releasing the hostages, like King Mick says, there was a process in place where they were being released and then Benny the Butcher broke the ceasefire.

 

I know what you mean but that wasn’t life and death. People weren’t going to directly die from not getting a Covid kit.

It’s a totally different situation to what’s happening in Gaza.

 

I get why he did it. It was meant to put leverage on Israel.

But I agree, it shouldn't have been used as a bargaining chip

He should have just said they were going to recognise the state regardless.

 

Why do you keep referring to Netanyahu as Benny the Butcher but Hamas are just Hamas?

 

There were plenty of people dying during Covid. But not right in front of people's eyes like it is in Gaza

 

I really genuinly don't get it, it's so unprofessional, it's like something he thought up in the school playground.

 

Whatever mate. You’re ridiculous.

 

We can call them Hamas the Hackers if you like ?

 

Calm down. I'm not disputing that the situation is worse in Gaza, I'm just saying that for some of those people after covid testing kits, it was life and death.

 

I agree it should be unconditional.

 

It's a method used to enforce leverage in a conversation. Like attaching far right labels, it's done to undermine those they do not like (in positions of power) and their supporters. So by saying Benny the Butcher it don't require anymore context to stress they do not like them, but fail to attach the same to Hamas other than in a joking manner, because put quite simply they support Hamas.

 

I don't support Hamas.

They are Terrorists

And so is Netanyahu

 

Nope, I'm still not convinced.

 

Well we could go round in circles endlessly on this but it's not going to change anything.

I know what I think, so I'm kind of best placed to make that judgement

 

Just needs a catchy name for Hamas is all.