Israel to "conquer" Gaza

Well Trump is looking towards hugely profitable deals with the Saudi's. Reuters says thats where he is going first tomorrow.

Reuters "When U.S. President Donald Trump lands in Riyadh on Tuesday, he will be greeted with opulent ceremonies, gilded palaces and the prospect of $1 trillion in investments. But the raging war in Gaza has denied him one goal he has long craved: Saudi-Israel normalisation"

"Behind the scenes, U.S. officials are quietly pressing Israel to agree to an immediate ceasefire in Gaza - one of Saudi Arabia's preconditions for any re-start of normalization talks, said two Gulf sources close to official circles and a U.S. official"

all incredibly complex

www.reuters.com/world/prospects-saudi-ties-israel-elusive-trump-seeks-1-trillion-bonanza-2025-05-11/

As an aside - that plane can’t be a personal gift to Trump surely?

Isn’t it a gift to the USA?

Wyllow3

There clearly are back channels and engagement with Hamas by US envoys - it seems Trump is attempting some kind of deal on hostages/cease fire/aid not leaving it up to Netanyahu's war plan - but its all very behind closed doors.

That is why I’m wondering if the Saudis have a finger in the pie on behalf of the Palestinians?

There clearly are back channels and engagement with Hamas by US envoys - it seems Trump is attempting some kind of deal on hostages/cease fire/aid not leaving it up to Netanyahu's war plan - but its all very behind closed doors.

Ah, the huge plane? How can he accept a ‘gift‘ like that? Dont American politicians have to disclose personal gifts?
Still now that we all know about it now…..

I do wonder about the massive gift to Trump by the Saudis - will they be expecting anything in return?

Freeing the hostage is related to Trump visiting the Middle East tomorrow.

Hamas has been talking to a US negotiator in Qatar and they are meeting again this morning. They hope to be able to move towards more negotiations and the return of aid hostage cease/ fire deals.

Its quite complicated and I won't try to paraphrase what Trump, Hamas, Netanyahu are saying because its easy to get it wrong, here is an article which outlines the present position and the context of the hostage they are planning to free today/tomorrow and Netanyahu's reaction,

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2q7749dxlo

or if you prefer CNN
www.cnn.com/2025/05/11/middleeast/edan-alexander-release-hamas-latam-intl

I just desperately hope that there can be some release of aid and moving matters along in some way.

One hostage is being freed today. He is an American soldier who was fighting for Israel. No media is allowed at the hand over.

“Hamas will not return the hostages they still have without getting something in return as this has been the normal practice in dealing with Israel. They do not care about Palestinian civilians which is why the wider world has to care about what happens to them.”

All the rest of the world has done so far is spread Hamas propaganda and provide aid the Hamas gets the credit for distributing. They have actually made Hamas stronger and increased the Gazan dependance on Hamas.

Hamas said yesterday they are releasing an American Israeli

There has been a history of hostage taking and usually Israel has negotiated and got their people home.
"The state's "unwritten contract" with its people also has origins in Jewish law.
The Amidah, a prayer recited three times a day by practicing Jews, refers to God "freeing the captives". Jewish scripture also prioritises freeing prisoners above feeding the poor.
And safely returning hostages, even those not alive, means the appropriate burial rituals in Judaism can be respected."
news.sky.com/story/israels-long-history-of-hostage-negotiations-and-how-its-dealt-with-them-in-the-past-12986095

Hamas will not return the hostages they still have without getting something in return as this has been the normal practice in dealing with Israel. They do not care about Palestinian civilians which is why the wider world has to care about what happens to them.

My parents generation didn't believe what was happening to the Jews (and others) in the 1930s and 40s until after the war was over and the truth came out.

My mother told me of her horror at seeing the first photographs from the concentration camps. It wasn't until the end of 1945, I think.

So I can well believe what is happening to the Palestinian population now.

What do they gain by keeping hostages

"Other Palestinians don't mean much to them". I agree with that but do you really believe that the killing will stop if the hostages are freed?

David49

I can’t understand why Hamas does not surrender out of humanitarian respect of their own people, it is deliberately seeing thousands of women and children starve to death in their aim to destroy Israel.

They are crazy extremists David49 which allied with their fear of humiliation, just won’t back down.Other Palestinians don’t mean much to them.

I can’t understand why Hamas does not surrender out of humanitarian respect of their own people, it is deliberately seeing thousands of women and children starve to death in their aim to destroy Israel.

Quote Anniebach Sun 11-May-25 14:11:47
This from you Whitewave it speaks volumes
to me .

‘The fact that many Israelis look upon the Palestinians as less than human and are now planning to ghettoise them speaks volumes to me.”

I cannot believe you ,

Thousands of Israelis line the streets in Jerusalem every Sunday with pictures of Palestinian children that have been killed demanding the end of Israeli attacks on the Palestinian population.

Every Sunday the crowd gets larger.

After all the killing, Israel still hasn't got all their hostages home. Those they have, almost without exception came as a result of negotiation. The IDF have not avoided killing civilians and children. There is a lot of credible evidence of children being shot by snipers in the head or chest. The allegations that anyone giving evidence of war crimes in Gaza must be a Hamas supporter is frankly ridiculous. It's also an insult to the brave and humanitarian people who risk their lives helping others. Israel is committing war crimes and thankfully even Israeli Jews are willing to condemn these atrocities.

I am afraid you are right Allsorts.
The Israeli government is hell bent on eradication of all Palestinians.
Britain is still supplying them with weapons.

Anniebach, with respect, the people have no food, the Red Cross cannot get in, sleeping on the streets in rubble, no medicines, hospitals gone. They are not Hamas, just people with families driven to where? Old people,children, so many amputees, not getting treatment, it's heartbreaking. It is a living hell, no one should do that to anyone.

Not true, Israel has not tried to eradicate Palestinians

Is there any infrastructure left in Gaza? The ordinary people are broken and starving. I will never think of Israel as I used to, they gave done to Gaza what was done to them, tried to eradicate a race. As for their P M words fail.

Well said Iam64.

I heard most of ‘indispensable relations’ foxie 48, like many other radio 4 programmes, I found it to be balanced and clear on the history.
Susytish - the LR Settlers programme has been discussed up thread. I found it chilling. He let them speak and we saw the horror.
Anniebach, on a previous discussion, i irritated you by referring to Northern Ireland. Its history is of course different than that of Israel/Palestine but there are similarities. It took brave negotiators alongside the public becoming tired of the republican and loyalist terrorists. Their desire was for peace. It’s a fragile peace with some determined to continue the fight but, it changed life for the better.
Yes I’m aware of the history of antisemitism throughout history. I’ve visited Auschwitz and I have many Jewish friends yes I loathe Hamas and 7/10. But we need brave people round the table. We need to stop the slaughter of children