You know, I hate to be Johnny Raincloud, here, but I surely can’t be the only person with a nagging suspicion that the Gaza ceasefire stinks as a very bad, dangerous, deal.
For a start, why would anyone trust Hamas? Let alone swap people who are in prison for good reason – being violent terrorists – for people whose only ‘crime’ was being Israeli and unarmed?
Remember: Yahya Sinwar was only free to plot October 7 because of a previous prisoner-hostage swap.
With that in mind, what does the deal involve, exactly.
The first phase of the deal would last six weeks and include a “full and complete ceasefire, withdrawal of Israeli forces from all the populated areas of Gaza and the release of a number of hostages held by Hamas,” [US President Joe Biden] said.
“A number of’ hostages”?
The first stage of the deal would pause the fighting in Gaza and allow for the release of some Palestinian prisoners held in Israel in exchange for the release of 33 hostages being held in Gaza. The hostages to be released would include women, children, people with severe injuries and those above the age of 50, according to a draft seen by the Wall Street Journal. Hamas would also hand over dead bodies.
Hamas and its allies still hold 94 of the 251 hostages taken from Israel, including at least 34 of whom are dead, according to the Israeli government.
So, not even half of the hostages still alive, let alone the remains of those whom Hamas have tortured to death or executed.
And Hamas left free to regroup and dig in, in Gaza. With dozens of their fighters set free to try and murder Jews again.
Who would celebrate such a lousy deal?
Well, the most fervent celebrators make an instructive list. If people like these think it’s such a great idea, it probably isn’t.
In a joint statement Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong, welcomed the deal as “a constructive step towards peace and stability in the region.”
In their statement, they urged all parties to “respect its terms and safeguard a lasting peace,” stressing the importance of ensuring “the immediate release of all hostages and unimpeded and sustained increases in humanitarian assistance to all parts of Gaza.” They also reiterated Australia’s commitment to a two-state solution, highlighting the need for Palestinian self-determination while condemning Hamas’ atrocities.
“Our thoughts are with all the civilians killed, displaced and taken hostage in this conflict, and the many humanitarian workers who lost their lives in the service of others.”
But not with the hostages, you might note. These two really are beyond disgusting. Especially with their inane prattling about a ‘two-state solution’ that ‘Palestinian’ Arabs have violently rejected, every time it’s been offered over the last 80 years.
One really has to wonder: is Wong utterly stupid, just plain evil or both?
She’s got plenty of odious fellow-travellers: Joe Biden, Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron, Antonio Guterres, Ursula von der Leyen… it’s a veritable rogues gallery of, ‘Whatever these creeps do, do the opposite’.
Speaking of creeps:
Crowds of Gazans chanted and embraced as news spread that the deal had been reached.
“I can’t believe that this nightmare of more than a year is finally coming to an end. We have lost so many people, we’ve lost everything,” said Randa Sameeh, a 45-year-old displaced from Gaza City to the Nuseirat Camp in the centre of the territory.
And to think it could all have been avoided if you’d just stopped trying to murder and rape Jews. But I guess that was just too hard for a population of low-IQ, in-bred, anti-Semites.
As for Hamas, they’re celebrating it as a win.
In a statement, Hamas credited its “valiant resistance in the Gaza Strip” and the “legendary steadfastness of our great Palestinian people”.
“It is a turning point in the conflict with the enemy, on the path to achieving our people’s goals of liberation and return,” Hamas said.
If Hamas are celebrating, that tells you all you need to know, really.
Now, let’s count down to the next rockets being fired into Israel.
