(Israel Hayom) Ariel Kahana - There isn't a soul who doesn't want to see Israeli hostages back home. However, announcements of "cautious optimism regarding the possibility of progress toward a deal" do not in any way mean that an agreement is about to be signed. The progress was made with mediators Qatar and Egypt, not with Hamas directly. Outstanding issues include the Hamas demand for IDF forces to withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor. Every child understands that withdrawing from Philadelphi while Hamas is still functioning means reviving the monster. Hamas also has yet to agree to a mechanism for screening those returning to northern Gaza. Hamas Gaza chief Yahya Sinwar doesn't want screening so he can rebuild his military capabilities. This is precisely the kind of rebuilding that Israel cannot agree to. Moreover, there's uncertainty about the number of hostages who will actually be released. The first phase speaks of 18 living hostages, and even that is not guaranteed.
2024-08-18 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive