GNITN - Special Edition

Israel At War – Day 439

Not One More Day

Let’s Make A Deal

As I hear all these snippets of a hostage deal materializing with some saying Hamas is willing to compromise and Israel is going to compromise on this or that, I just get a little tired of not talking about the big elephant in both living rooms. These two warring parties have lines drawn in the sand that aren’t being moved no matter how good people make things sound. I am reminded of the game show, Let’s Make A Deal where audience members dress up in costumes to get host Wayne Brady’s attention to make deals for prizes or cash, while trying to avoid Zonks as the website tells us. We have people dressed up like diplomats vying for the big prize of a ceasefire. They are given the choice of door one, door two, or door three. What Hamas wants is a permanent ceasefire and Israel leaving Gaza for themselves and then and only then will they release all the hostages. Israel wants all the hostages back and all of Hamas destroyed. Both of those are behind doors one and two. Behind door three is what is always changing and I consider to be the losing prize. Right now, according to an article from WND.com Hamas is thought to willing to agree to releasing dangerous prisoners who leave the Israeli area as part of a deal:

Reports emerged Wednesday evening regarding what appears to be a slight softening of Hamas' position regarding the future of high-profile prisoners it has requested be released as part of the deal to return some of the Israeli hostages it's holding in Gaza.

Negotiations between Israel and Hamas, mediated by the U.S., Egypt and Qatar, are now in their final stages, the Palestinian newspaper Al-Quds reported Wednesday.

According to sources quoted in the newspaper, at this stage, discussions are underway regarding the identity of the Palestinian prisoners who will be released as part of the deal. The report claims "heavyweight" terrorists serving life sentences will probably be deported to Turkey, and also to Iran —a country whose name has not been mentioned so far as a possible destination for exile. The rest will be released to Judea and Samaria, and the Gaza Strip, reported Israeli outlet Ynet.

So terrorists are released from prison where they can’t do Israel or the world any harm and get to go to Turkey or Iran where they can regroup and plot terrorist attacks on Jews and those who support them. I consider that a zonk unless they release all the hostages in the deal, something they don’t appear to want to do as we read in a report from CBN.com:

A deal to free the Hamas-held hostages and end the war in Gaza remains elusive.

Some freed hostages worry that Israel may accept a deal in which Hamas would release only a few captives at a time.

And they would be right to those feelings:

Some sources report a deal to free the hostages could be reached within a month, and that such a deal is closer than ever.

Others suggest such talk of an imminent deal is exaggerated.

You’ll never guess what the sticking points with Hamas are.

Hamas Doesn’t Want To Destroyed

If that doesn’t familiar, well you haven’t been paying attention for over 400 days:

The main sticking point: Hamas believes if the war isn't ended permanently and all the hostages are freed, Israel will then wipe out the terror group.

The terrorist group would rather the hostages are released a few at a time so they can regroup, rearm, and regrow their numbers:

Hamas reportedly has proposed releasing a few hostages at a time as long as the parties extend the ceasefire.

There are those who have loved ones still in captivity that are rightfully angered at the prospect of not getting all of the hostages released at one time:

The notion of a deal that doesn't free all the hostages at once infuriates former captives and family members of those who remain in Gaza.

People who were once held are the most vocal:

Released hostage Ilana Gritzewsky declared "Bring the hostages home. No words, no promise. Only action. Bring them back, all of them."

Another rescued hostage, Sharon Aloni Curio, echoed those sentiments, saying, "I know exactly what the hostages are going through. I saw it. I experienced it. A partial deal will be a stain on the heart of our society for generations."

She went on to illustrate why even one more day being held is unthinkable:

Aloni Curio added, "Decision-makers must understand the scars and illnesses we returned with after just 52 days: pneumonia, infections, weight loss, unending fears, and nightmares. Now imagine 438 days like this.”

I can cite source after source about all the minutia that negotiators are toying with from rebuilding hospitals and public facilities and which crossing will be reopened and run by whom. The time frame could be 40-60 days long and with only a third of the hostages being released. I might add that their releases will not be all at once but as slowly as possible. Folks, Hamas will never, I repeat never release all the hostages unless they get to have a permanent ceasefire. Israel has already said that when they say never again, they mean it. Now is the time to unleash the kraken on Hamas. Perhaps President Trump is the one person to get through to Hamas and he might be the one to do exactly what he’s promised. But this is one more day that those hostages are going through what Aloni Curio described:

"Decision-makers must understand the scars and illnesses we returned with after just 52 days: pneumonia, infections, weight loss, unending fears, and nightmares. Now imagine 438 days like this.”

We remember and are praying that no hostage will see another day like this let alone another month.