A week ago almost (Time both seems to drag by slowly and speed by simultaneously. We are living in a weird world) Israel instituted a “pause” in the war effort in order for Hamas to set free hostages. A “truce” was put in place, mediated by Qatar and the Biden administration. I put the word in quotes because Hamas continually violated it with impunity from beginning to end. Is this surprising????

For those readers living outside Israel, I don’t know what news sources you follow or what is being reported. Israel negotiated to the following:

• There would be a complete ceasefire from both parties- Gaza and Israel.
• Israel would cease all aerial surveillance and attacks from the air over Gaza
• Over 4 days up to 50 hostages would be released from Gaza and 180 prisoners released from Israeli jails back to the West Bank and E Jerusalem.
• Israel would release 3 convicted (by trial) criminals- women and men under the age of 20 from Israeli prisons for every hostage received
• A detailed list of the names of the hostages was to be given to the Red Cross to relay to Israel the night before each exchange.
• Family groups would not be broken up within those held hostage. Brothers and sisters would be set free along with their parents
• All women, children and elderly over age 70 would be released from Gaza
• Hamas would release hostage groups at a set time. They would be turned over to the International Red Cross and shuttled to Egypt where they would then be sent back to Israel
• Humanitarian aid by Israel, the US, UN and EU would be allowed to flow into S Gaza at a rate of 200 trucks per day of food, cots, tents, medical and hygiene supplies. An additional 100 trucks per day would carry cooking fuel and portable toilets and cookstoves

Israelis, according to national polls and interviews, are relieved to be getting back 50 captives, but extra concerned for the more than 180 hostages left behind. While there is a desperate demand for the women, children and elderly to be set free, there are unsettled concerns and anger that Israel is releasing criminals that have been convicted of attempted terror attacks and murder. Many feel they will be extra motivated to continue further attacks within Israel.

Specific protocols were set up to receive the hostages, offering a set diet for reintegration to eating food in event of starvation. They will be sent to set hospitals where they will be met by their immediate families and receive full medical and psychological care.

On Thursday morning the day of the proposed ceasefire, Israel located major weapons caches and secret underground tunnels and bunkers under the Shifa Medical Center compound. Evidence from security camera showed hostages being corralled into an elevator by force, doctors looking on.

Within the first 15 minutes of the ceasefire, 3 large missile barrages were launched from within Gaza. Hizbulla continued to fire from Lebanon into N Israel and the Houthi’s did not stop firing into S Israel.

Family groups were split up. The first morning the entire country was anxiously awaiting the release of the first group, however a 24 hour delay was announced due to complications in negotiations and signing the agreement by Hamas and Qatar. No such list was provided the night before the first set of hostages were to come out.

Israel knew that Yayha Sinwar, head of ground operations for Hamas would never let all the hostages put. He would continue to use them as human shields and bargaining chips to extend the truce. There was no doubt that Gaza would use this time period to regroup and rearm. There was a possibility that some of the Israeli hostages would be smuggled out of the country.

To show he was the one in control, Sinwar released the first group of captives at the very last minute – at 11:50 pm, ten minutes before the deadline. There was no regard for family groups staying together. The list of refugees had changed slightly. Later it would be reported that Hamas took hundreds of captives, both innocent civilians and soldiers. Palestinian Islamic Jihad, another terrorist group in Gaza, also had captured people. Then there were those taken into captivity by random civilians that were unaccounted for, yet videos show them paraded through Gaza City the first day.

This past Saturday in Tulkarm in the West Bank, controlled by the Palestinian Authority, NOT Israel, a mob first beat then shot two Palestinian men who were accused of collaborating with Israel. Their bloody bodies were dragged through the streets before being hung up from a telephone communications tower for all to see. These are Islamists fighting their own people.

All together, 242 prisoners were released from Israeli prisons. All had been tried and convicted of attempted terrorist attacks or attempted murder. Most were given a hero’s welcome by their home cities as parades, fireworks and speeches were made and sweets passed around. One woman, Aasra Jabes, 24 was convicted of attempted murder in 2015 when the car bomb she had detonated on her. Aasra was left with burns on 40% of her body and was terribly disfigured. She received 2 plastic surgeries in an Israeli hospital, but she plans on filing suit for Israel to pay for her next corrective surgery. The news and social media have reported erroneously that she was disfigured by Israeli forces.

As of last Thursday and Friday there have been stabbings and shootings In Jerusalem leaving 6 dead civilians (a headmaster and a teacher at a girls’ shook, a rabbi and a doctor) and several wounded. All terrorists were neutralized and identified as former criminals who had served their sentences for terror related offenses.

Eighty-one Israelis have now been freed since the initial four-day ceasefire started on Nov. 24, along with 23 Thais and one Filipino. The stories coming out are horrifying. Most hostages with family members still being held are fearful to speak out because of threats to their loved ones. There have been verified reports that the children were branded with hot metal pipes upon capture. They were held in small, confined spaces and not allowed to make noise. Groups were blindfolded and moved from house to house. Food rations were slim. Beatings of the male prisoners with electrical cable happened regularly. The children released had lost 15% of their weight stated a pediatrician at Ichilov Hospital.

The negations kept changing. Apart from the original rocket barrage, Hamas operatives sent explosive devices into N Gaza wounding several IDF soldiers. Overnight Wednesday, Hamas initially released a list of just seven live hostages and three bodies. Israel threatened to renew the fighting in Gaza unless a revised list was received by 7 a.m. Thursday.A revised list was submitted 20 minutes before the deadline.

An Israeli official told Ynet that the overnight negotiations were “very difficult and nerve-wracking.”

“There was a fight for every name. We are entering very difficult times. Hamas will try to manipulate, intimidate and spread disinformation. We were one step away from canceling the deal,” the official said.

Hamas is reportedly seeking to extend the truce another day and release more hostages on Friday, AFPreported just hours before the latest extension was due to expire.

“Mediators are currently making strong, intense and continuous efforts for an additional day in the truce and then working to extend it again for other days,” a source close to the terror group told ynet news.

Mia Scher, 21 a French-Israeli girl and one of the last to be released had suffered multiple gunshot wounds and fractures to her right arm and hand. She stayed with and was treated by a UNRWA veterinarian!!!! Another war crime. Mia will have to have several more surgeries to fix her arm and hand, but there is no guarantee she will retain full use of it. Another two children were kept in an attic by a UNWRA teacher. The children were fed very meager amounts only a few times each week.

It is approximated (Israel still does not know for sure and is still identifying bodies) that there are still 141 hostages. The men are being held as bargaining chips. There are reports that the women who were not previously released are still captive because Hamas does not want them speak of sexual violence against them. Still in captivity are now 10-month baby, Kfir Bibas and his 3 year old brother, Ariel Bibas. The pictures of these two little flaming redhead children in the arms of their distraught mother went viral. Some rumors (Hamas propaganda) show the father breaking down upon being shown the videos of the murder of his wife and the babies. This has not been proven, so hope is still up that they will be retrieved.

Antony Blinken, US Secretly of State, has visited Qatar and this region twice in the past week. He was calling for the pause to be fully extended to a ceasefire altogether. Netanyahu said this was completely unacceptable and that IDF are fully prepared to resume the eradication of Hamas’ leaders. Blinken also called for more humanitarian aid to be let in.

Yesterday, Israel discovered a hidden cache of drones outfitted with high tech infrared sensors and cameras operated by remote control were stored in a UN truck carrying medical equipment to Gaza. Also as part of their humanitarian aid shipments, 16 large trunks of ammunition marked UNWRA relief: canned peaches, were found. In another truck, RPGs were found stored away among tent pegs and stakes. Israel halted all humanitarian aid for two days. Another violation.

Much of this is going un or under-reported or is dismissed as non factual by foreign news outlets. When, after a 3 day extension, Sinwar refused to list names of hostages, but would pass on to Israel 8 bodies, the pause was lifted. Gaza, within 15 minutes of the end of the ceasefire, let loose a huge missile barrage to central Israel. Several were wounded by falling shrapnel and there was some damage to infrastructure. Most rockets were intercepted by Iron Dome.

We pray for all hostages to be miraculously set free and for Israeli to clean up all the violent and evil troublemakers so life can continue somewhat normally.