The Israeli prime minister’s office unilaterally removed Marwan Barghouti’s name from the prisoner exchange list at the last minute, endangering the Gaza ceasefire deal’s implementation, a source close to the prominent Palestinian prisoner told Middle East Eye.
Barghouti, who is the most popular Palestinian political figure according to polls, was one of the most valuable names to potentially be traded for the 48 Israeli captives in Gaza.
A source close to Barghouti and his family told MEE that last night mediators including US envoy Steve Witkoff signed off on a prisoner list that included Barghouti.
Plus Israel is still bombing so…
Hostages situation in the bank? Let’s bomb the bank for 2 years! I’m smart. I’m israeli.
Sooner than expected
For a moment I thought this time Bibi might be changing direction to play the peacemaker and hostage-returner. I wondee if Hamas would try to outflank him by releasing the hostages anyway so they can then use Israel’s uncooperation against them. That would significantly increase the pressure on Israel externally and internally by killing a main piece of the victim narrative.
There is not really any card Hamas can play. Israel is allowed to genocide all Palestinians with full support of the West.
And Israel will gladly kill all the captives in Palestinian custody with full support of the Israeli public.
When faced with the West which has absolutely zero morals the dilemma becomes very tough.
If Israel doesn’t care about killing the Israeli hostages, then the hostages do not serve as any leverage for Hamas. But they are used as an important piece for the machine manufacturing consent for the genocide. So that changes the calculus on keeping them hostage I think. I think you’re right that Israel would gladly kill 'em. So releasing them could throw a significant wrench into the machine I think. Discontent in Europe is growing and Israel can be significantly harmed economically should the EU take action. Doesn’t that make some sense?
Israel has proven to be the leader of Europe and America fully in control of their politicians. The amount of discontent of the public is irrelevant and is ignored. Likewise they own the Western media which will gladly publish any angle Israel wishes. So there is no counting on the West to do anything except send more weapons and money to Israel. Hamas likely hoped that there was a semblance of humanity in the West to pressure Israel but that does not exist.
I think they already have killed hostages (Israelis). I’m pretty sure it’s literally something they openly do.
I’m not disputing that. In fact I’m taking it as a given and reasoning towards the implications.
