Starmer Off to Egypt.........

Whitewavemark2

Israel has also been refusing doctors from many countries entry to work in Gaza.

I am hoping that very soon this wrong will soon be righted when the new interim government takes control. Israel won’t - I hope any longer be the occupying force.

It certainly needs urgent focus, because apart from those with injuries and unmanaged long term medical conditions, the level of malnutrition means many more people will die without help very soon.

The focus needs to shift to whether doctors who allowed their hospitals to become a base for Hamas should ever be allowed to practice medicine again.

Of I recall there were first hand accounts of both Doctors and Teachers holding Israeli Hostages in their homes.

My opinion is all those found to have held hostages should be charged and imprisoned.

Whilst we are welcoming the Israeli hostages back to their families, many Palestinians held in a hostage situation without any trial are also to be released to their families. Many were children.

So I would like to welcome and give thought to all those unjustly imprisoned and held hostage. I hope those who have suffered dreadful torture are healed both physically and mentally.

Doctors are badly needed.

ronib

I notice only one female hostage is on the list.
I notice that Hamas can’t find all the 28 dead.

They can't find all their own dead, either. Bombing has that effect - the dead could be anywhere under the rubble.

ronib

The focus needs to shift to whether doctors who allowed their hospitals to become a base for Hamas should ever be allowed to practice medicine again.

ALL doctors will be desperately needed once (and if) this ceasefire becomes a permanent peace. Many medical personnel were killed at their posts because they did not abandon their patients.

Doctors are not in charge of hospitals, and would most likely be unaware of what was happening in hospital basements. Even if they knew but were uninvolved, what could they have done about it, their priority was looking after the patients?

International medical aid will be needed anyway, given the scale of the crisis, and I hope medical teams are quickly drafted in from anywhere possible.

I also hope that the hostages are able to identify who held them captive and whether they were treated badly by their captors, I imagine it will be a very mixed experience between them.

One picture on the bbc - Israeli hostage looks in pretty good nick which is so good to see.

Starmer has done nothing. He’s just there to sign the peace treaty and because he thinks he’s important.

Whatever people think of Donald Trump he has managed this superbly and deserves full credit for it. 👏👏

Actually considering the level of carpet bombing and destruction by the Israelis, Hamas has done well to keep any of them alive!

He’s Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Isn’t it pretty unpatriotic of you to say he’s ‘unimportant’.

Primrose53

Starmer has done nothing. He’s just there to sign the peace treaty and because he thinks he’s important.

As Prime Minister of the UK he doesn't just think it, he IS important, just as Trump is important as POTUS of the US, despite his personal failings.

Oh, and the conference is being held in the UK - where he is the HOST of this important meeting, though Trump is chairing it. Would it have been held in his country if he and the UK were unimportant?

If there is to be any future for Gaza, there will need to be international co-operation about rebuilding, developing a constitution, finance, medical treatment for the injured, education and all sorts of other issues. Countries such as the UK are in a position to help and advise, so of course the UK's leader should be there.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202510/medium-8b5d9o-img-1860.jpeg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202510/medium-2elbzn-img-1861.jpeg

Some photos of hostages. So good to see them looking in good health.

Yes, it's wonderful to see them looking well, although we have no idea what's going on inside their heads. I was really surprised, especially as it looks as though they've had haircuts and manicures. Maybe we've only seen pictures of those who look well.

I wonder if they've received better treatment recently, in anticipation of their release?
Of course, those who did not will not be the ones returning. 😥

Maybe Allira, or maybe they were held compassionately, in safe houses away from the action of war, given that the visible effects of malnutrition take months to leave your body. I’m sure they will all tell their stories in due course, at the moment it is just good to see that some of them, at least, look well and not starved.

Whitewavemark2

Actually considering the level of carpet bombing and destruction by the Israelis, Hamas has done well to keep any of them alive!

If Hamas hadn’t kidnapped the hostages on 7th October 2023
they wouldn’t have had to done well to keep them alive

petra 👏👏👏

As we are all aware, opinion as to whether the carpet bombing and level of destruction in Gaza was justified is very much divided.

Despite the views of the Negative Nancys on this thread, the US have recognised the contribution to the process of the UK.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg4rwne0ggo

So many comments on here by experts in the diplomatic service!!!
We really have no idea of what has been going on behind closed doors regarding the peace process . I think Starmer has been more involved than any of us know! He is our PM and should be there! I admire his stamina to be honest!

Starmer absolutely should be there among the other world leaders so they have an idea of what's been said and what the future plans are for when Trump gets bored (now he's stopped ANOTHER war 🙄) and can't be arsed to fulfil what will be a very long journey regarding hostages, continued peace and the rebuilding of Gaza and the repatriation of its people. Just my thoughts.

Here's something else interesting and relevant Casdon

It talks about "The International Fund for Ireland"
One leading peace activist termed the fund the “social glue that holds our peace process together”, while Britain’s chief negotiator, Jonathan Powell, called it the “great unsung hero” of the Good Friday Agreement.

The one for Israel/Palestine seems to be looking to a similar model.
These (below) are labour links but I thought it was interesting and haven't read it before today.

www.lfi.org.uk/promoting-peacebuilding/

www.lfi.org.uk/lfi-publishes-civil-society-and-a-new-israeli-palestinian-peace-process-an-agenda-for-a-labour-government/