Hamas has attacked Israel

That’s been something I’ve been thinking about foxie - where can these people go.

GrannyGravy13

I hope and pray that a humanitarian corridor can be established in order that women, children, the sick, frail and elderly can be given a safe passage out of Gaza along with any hostages being held by Hamas.

Then the IDF can go in and do what they have to.

But a safe passage to "where"? 1.7m of those living in Gaza are Palestinian refugees. I very much doubt they would be welcome in the West Bank, which is only partially controlled by the Palestinian Authority which is aligned with Fatah. This is why there are so many people living in such a small area, they have nowhere else to go.

hamas, they must be high on drugs, surely no sane person can torture other human being as hamas have been doing. To see a father so relieved to know that his 8 year old daughter was dead and not captured by hamas, who are pure evil

This.

“Israel today warned it wouldn't let any food, medicine or electricity reach the Palestinians stranded in the Gaza Strip until Hamas terrorists release the scores of Israeli hostages they captured.

'Humanitarian aid to Gaza? No electrical switch will be turned on, no water hydrant will be opened and no fuel truck will enter until the Israeli abductees are returned home,' Israel's Energy Minister Israel Katz vowed in a sinister threat.

'Humanitarian for humanitarian. And no one will preach us morals,' Katz added.”

I think that’s fair enough.
Release the 100+ hostages and we will allow aid through to Gaza for the thousands.

I hope and pray that a humanitarian corridor can be established in order that women, children, the sick, frail and elderly can be given a safe passage out of Gaza along with any hostages being held by Hamas.

Then the IDF can go in and do what they have to.

Galaxy

I have disagreed with Starmer on some things but I could almost weep with relief that it is Starmer who is leading the labour party when we are faced with these horrors.

Yes I absolutely agree. He is strong and dependable.

If Israel has to respect international law, then Starmer will have in my opinion contradicted himself, if he also maintains that Israel has the right to cut of power and water.

There is no question to my mind that is a wrong and illegal move by Israel.

I hope that Starmer explains his opinion.

Allegedly, If, and when the hostages are released unharmed the utilities will be restored, but until then?!

The USA security services are saying that there is no evidence that Iran is helping Hamas.

That’s the official line, the US does not want the Israelis to take any direct action against Iran.

MaisieD yes he said that but he still said "I think that Israel does have that right"
to enforce a siege, cutting off power and water to Gaza

He mentions nothing about the occupation

I have disagreed with Starmer on some things but I could almost weep with relief that it is Starmer who is leading the labour party when we are faced with these horrors.

Grany

Cllr Martin Abrams

As a human rights lawyer Keir Starmer of course knows that collective punishment of indiscriminate bombing of Gaza cutting off power, water and fuel supplies is an illegal act under international law.

For a Labour Party Leader to endorse thus is shameful utterly shameful.

LBC
"I think that Israel does have that right"

Sir Keir Starmer tells Nick Ferrari that it is acceptable for Israel to withhold power and water from citizens in Gaza
A million of which are children
What does that say about what he would be like as prime minister

Well, if that's the same clip that I saw on twitter last night, Starmer said that Israel had to observe International Law. People seem to have missed that...

Katie59

Katie59 if the weapons were/are being smuggled in why are they not smuggling in food, water, medical supplies?

Palestinians are mostly Sunni Muslims, Hamas are Shia sponsored by Iran, they hate Sunnis almost as much as Israelis and are using them a cannon fodder.

I have posted that Hamas hate the civilian population of Gaza.

If the citizens of Gaza are unable to deal with the problem then Israel should and hopefully will.

I stand against all terrorists , I weep for the innocent civilians in Gaza and Israel.

Katie59 if the weapons were/are being smuggled in why are they not smuggling in food, water, medical supplies?

Palestinians are mostly Sunni Muslims, Hamas are Shia sponsored by Iran, they hate Sunnis almost as much as Israelis and are using them a cannon fodder.

Grany

Cllr Martin Abrams

As a human rights lawyer Keir Starmer of course knows that collective punishment of indiscriminate bombing of Gaza cutting off power, water and fuel supplies is an illegal act under international law.

For a Labour Party Leader to endorse thus is shameful utterly shameful.

LBC
"I think that Israel does have that right"

Sir Keir Starmer tells Nick Ferrari that it is acceptable for Israel to withhold power and water from citizens in Gaza
A million of which are children
What does that say about what he would be like as prime minister

I think Israel has the right to seek and locate those who committed the heinous atrocities against its civilians. If Hamas barbarians cannot be taken alive to face prosecution I have no problems with them being assassinated.

Hamas are cowards, hiding amongst the civilian population of Gaza, they do not care about them any more than they care about the civilians in Israel.

Cllr Martin Abrams

As a human rights lawyer Keir Starmer of course knows that collective punishment of indiscriminate bombing of Gaza cutting off power, water and fuel supplies is an illegal act under international law.

For a Labour Party Leader to endorse thus is shameful utterly shameful.

LBC
"I think that Israel does have that right"

Sir Keir Starmer tells Nick Ferrari that it is acceptable for Israel to withhold power and water from citizens in Gaza
A million of which are children
What does that say about what he would be like as prime minister

So just some corrections about my posts.

The USA security services are saying that there is no evidence that Iran is helping Hamas.

I also wrote hoping that with the more moderate opposition now part of the government it would first get rid of the very far right security minister - I was wrong. And, I thought that the opposition would have a moderating effect on Netanyahu - apparently that will never happen.

Totally agree GG13.

Katie59 if the weapons were/are being smuggled in why are they not smuggling in food, water, medical supplies?

In my opinion it goes back to what many of us have said Hamas doesn’t care about civilians it’s one objective is to destroy Israel and all who dwell there.

Hamas are barbaric terrorists who care for nothing other than their cause

Women, children, the elderly, the frail have been murdered, raped and violated, I would happily see Hamas burn in hell.

Friends who lived in Iran pre Ayatollah and in the Lebanon confirm tickingbird’s post

Lebanon was the only Christian-majority nation in the Middle East.

It's where I was born.

We prided ourselves on inclusivity. Always welcoming Arab Muslim refugees from all over the Middle East.

We had the best economy despite having no natural oil. The best universities.

They called Beirut the "Paris of the Middle East" and the Mountains of Lebanon was a tourist destination.

My early childhood was idyllic, my father was a prosperous businessman in town and my mother was at home with me, an only child.

Slowly, the Arab Muslims began to become the majority in Lebanon and our rights began to wither away.

Soon, we would find ourselves unable to leave our small Christian town without fear of being stopped and killed by Arabs. In Lebanon your religion is on your government issued ID.

As the war intensified and the radical Islamists made their way south, my home was hit by an errant rocket and my life was forever changed.

We spent the next almost decade in a bomb shelter, scraping together pennies and eating dandelions and roots just to survive.

If it was not for Israel coming in and surrounding our town, I do not know If I would be here today.

Lebanon is now a country 100% controlled and run by Hezbollah. I lost my country of birth.

Brigitte Gabrielle, author of Because They Hate and an Arab Christian.

Iam64

Fleurpepper - you seem to believe the Israeli government knew the attack by Hamas was coming. It ignored the warnings , so war and destruction could follow.
Do you also believe the USA and the Israeli’s/the Jews were responsible for 9/11 - or other conspiracy theories

Overnight reports of threats to the British Jewish communities are increasing.

I raised this as I read that Israel 's govt had been warned that Hamas was preparing an attack but the warning was ignored. Surely the real question is not about believing conspiracy theories but how you view Netanyahu and his far right govt? What might he be capable of doing to achieve his aims. Biden has reported that he has reminded Netanyahu that he needs to follow the rules of war. Israeli govt has just said that the complete blockade of Gaza will continue until all the hostages are released, so effectively holding a million Palestinian children to ransom. Hamas is a terrorist organization of the very worst kind and don't care about the population of Gaza so it's obvious that this tactic won't work but perhaps Netanyahu knows this? Please don't chuck the label of anti semitic at me, I believe Israel has a right to protect herself, it's the manner of doing that that I question.

Iam64

Fleurpepper - you seem to believe the Israeli government knew the attack by Hamas was coming. It ignored the warnings , so war and destruction could follow.
Do you also believe the USA and the Israeli’s/the Jews were responsible for 9/11 - or other conspiracy theories

Overnight reports of threats to the British Jewish communities are increasing.

Fleurpepper - you seem to believe the Israeli government knew the attack by Hamas was coming. It ignored the warnings , so war and destruction could follow.

A cynic might think that, if so their thoughts have been vindicated, the lack of intelligence and relaxed state of security also

GrannyGravy13

I have been pondering, Hamas managed to get 1,000’s of rockets, drones, powered gliders along with ammunition and hand held weapons into Gaza.

Why didn’t they also get food, medicines, medical supplies, fuel and water?

I have come to the conclusion that Hamas do not give a flying fig for the citizens of Gaza, they are intent on causing death, destruction and annihilation to the citizens of Israel…

Egypt has closed its border with Gaza, maybe they do not want to take the chance of Hamas terrorists entering their Country.

Rockets are home made, the ingredients are smuggled in as food or aid or through tunnels, Egypt has plenty of its own extremists it does want to get involved in this.

Katie59

I would be surprised if there is a full scale invasion of Gaza the casualty rate for Israel will be too high, more likely they will blockade and bring Gaza to its knees. That will force the moderates to get rid of Hamas and bring in a proper relationship with the rest of Israel.

This episode has proved that Gaza cannot trusted to run itself so there will need to be some form of Israeli oversight in future. In the meantime Gaza will suffer a great deal.

A cynic might think that, if so their thought have proved true, the lack of intelligence and relaxed state of security would support it too.