Gaza crisis: Hamas weighs response to ceasefire proposal
Desperate and despondent families of Israeli hostages jumped into rush hour traffic to grab attention. For months chance of now, and all of them now have risen above the streets and squares across Israel. To remind their leaders about loved ones languishing in Gaza. We need to stop the war. We need to bring back the hostages home. Enough. It’s seven months already. There is no time for the hostages. They will be all dead while the world waits for Hamas to respond to Israel’s latest proposal to pause fighting and exchange prisoners. Israeli military vehicles are assembling near Gaza’s southern border, possibly to enter Rafa, the southern city where more than 1,000,000 displaced people are sheltering without adequate facilities. It’s on Hamas. Hamas has to decide whether it will take the steel and actually advance the situation for the people that it purports to care about in Gaza. Despite international and some local opposition to a ground offensive in Rafa, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that the operation will go forward regardless of a deal. A statement he reiterated Thursday, saying Israel will do what is necessary. In order to win, Netanyahu and his military leadership have also pledged to bring the 133 remaining hostages home. Blocking traffic? Holding a banner that reads Rafa or hostages Choose life. The priority for these Israelis is clear. Crystal Commancing Global News, London.