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© Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.Hamas and Israel exchange more hostages for prisoners on fifth day of temporary cease-fire
By WAFAA SHURAFA, JACK JEFFERY and LEE KEATH DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip©2025 GPlusMedia Inc.
63 Comments
JboneInTheZone
Good reporting here. You often see people citing that number as women and children, not minors like it’s actually referring to.
Mr Kipling
How many of the remaining "hostages" are military? Or is that a big Israeli secret?
Antiquesaving
You mean good because they are trying to minimize the facts they mean children?
Oh the pro IDF far right Israeli government reporting is good facts are bad.
Between 2009 and October 7th 2023 well over 6000 Palestinians were killed by IDF and illegal settlers armed by Israel and protected by the IDF , I that same period less than 400 Israelis were killed by Palestinians with over half being women and children!
Israel a supposed democracy has over 4900 Palestinians locked up some for years, no charges, no trial, no access to Legal representation this according to amnesty international and the UN human rights commission.
The IDF is a criminal organisation along with the Israeli government hiding behind the USA Veto power at the UN avoiding all responsibilities and ignoring all UN resolutions against it!
Now add in the 13000 newly killed Palestinians and the 1500 Israelis.
And we have a very lopsided situation.
Fewer than 2000 Israelis killed VS closing in on 20,000 Palestinians since 2009!
We have 240 hostages taken by Hamas VS 4900 plus Palestinians (pre October 7) held without contact or charges by Israel!
Which people are really the ones in danger?
Chabbawanga
Yes, killing minors is more acceptable than children.
sakurasuki
This the list people that being released,
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/24/who-were-the-palestinian-prisoners-israel-released-on-friday
now we can see that most of prisoners just minors or even were minors when they being captured. The list of 300 comprises 33 women. The majority of the rest of the names are of boys aged 16-18. However, there are also boys as young as 14 on the list.
In case any of you wonder why so many people in their jails
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/8/why-are-so-many-palestinian-prisoners-in-israeli-jails
Don't think about Geneva convention or human right when imagining these prisoners, even they are still alive.
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20231127-palestinian-children-just-released-from-prison-claim-beatings-abuse-torture-and-starvation/
Antiquesaving
If Israel was a Muslim country and those being held without charges or trial were Jewish or Christians the western news would have been all over it!
One woman dies in the custody of the Iranian religious police and it is front page, top news story.
Nearly 5,000 Palestinians are held for as long as several years 6000 plus die by IDF police hands and total silence.
Sanjinosebleed
When are the IDF and Netanyahu going to be charged with war crimes!?
Chabbawanga
Yes, it is possible to oppose ALL killing, not just the killing of Israelis though. Might be something for you to work on.
bass4funk
Actually, it should be the leaders of Hamas….or the ones that are still alive should be charged with war crimes.
Chabbawanga
It should be both. Vengeance isnt a get out of jail free card for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
JboneInTheZone
It’s good because it’s honest. The conflation of minors and children that so many people here do is dishonest and is done in bad faith.
Are you saying Israelis aren’t in danger? Is that what you’d tell to the families of victims from 10/7?
JboneInTheZone
Yes. Saying 3000 Palestinian toddlers were killed versus 3000 Palestinian 17 year olds were killed is a huge difference. They’re both bad but I think everyone would agree one is worse
David Brent
Israel doesn’t really care about having to release three Hamas hostages for every one Israeli hostage they get back. In the next wave of bombing to come, those released Hamas terrorists will probably be killed anyways. I expect the Israelis are even tracking their exact location.
bass4funk
No one told Hamas to plan an attack on 10/7 had that not happen we wouldn’t need to talk about vengeance, but speaking of that, who would issue or condemn a vengeance act as criminal? The UN? The majority of them won’t even classify Hamas as a terrorist group, so if they’re not willing to start from that point, Israel shouldn’t give the UN a shred of credibility truth be told.
Antiquesaving
True, but the leaders of Israel and the IDF have killed, kidnapped, held without charges or trial tens of thousands of Palestinians long before October 7th.
UN numbers of Palestinians killed by Israelis from 2009 to October 7th is well over 6000 over half women and children. Number of Palestinians help without charges, without trial with outside contact is over 4900 some for several years.
Imagine the outrage if this was openly done by Iran, Syria, or any European country!
But no Israel does these things with impunity and has been doing it for decades.
The justification is that israelis are in danger.
Well the number say differently.
Over 6,000 Palestinians killed by IDF and settlers (half women and children) between 2009 and October 7th under 400 Israelis killed by Palestinians in that same period!
Chabbawanga
3000 lives lost. The loss of a 17 year old is every bit as tragic as the loss of a toddler, when you consider the experiences that have accumulated and the strength of the relationships they have built with the people around them.
I agree that using words like babies and children is a gross misuse of language, a crime both sides are guilty of, lest we forget the 40 beaheaded babies story.
No matter how you look at it, whilst many of the deaths in Gaza probably were minors or teenagers, the just as many were likely actual children, of whom many were also babies and toddlers. I dont have the raw statistics to support this, population demographics support this.
Chabbawanga
A world of zero accountability. What a wonderful place. Where the biggest bullies dictate the terms of what is and what isnt good or evil. No thanks.
JboneInTheZone
It is not as bad and we both know the majority of people consider the death of a toddler much worse than the death of a 17 year old, stop being dishonest.
Nobody does, which leads back to my original point that referring to them as children instead of minors is completely dishonest
Antiquesaving
How about the families of the over 6000 Palestinians killed by Israel frim 2009 to before October 7th how about the families of the nearly 5000 Palestinians presently in Limbo custody without charges or trial and the tens of thousands that were previously held for months and years also without charges or trial long before October 7th?
How about the destruction of clean water sources built by the UN by the IDF in the west bank because the Palestinians "May" steal water from illegal settlers?
What do you say to the families with their members killed by IDF and settlers, their loved ones detained without contact or charges, their family without clean water?
Tell use who lives better and safer life Israelis in their apartheid system or the Palestinians!
Who has more chance of being killed Palestinians children or Israeli children?
The numbers don't support Israel's claims!
Antiquesaving
Ah the Israeli propaganda machine at work!
Trying to justify killing children and dehumanizing Palestinians is the main tactic and until now they had done a good job, but now this false narrative is no longer working.
Bombing schools, UNRWA safe zones killing news reporters is now not as easily covered up or silenced as when everything was controlled by a few major media corporations.
Chabbawanga
As a father of 6. Of whom two are young children and two are teenagers, I can tell you for a fact that it is very much as bad. Thank you.
JboneInTheZone
Were these people involved in terrorist activities? I’m going to need more context than just having a bunch of numbers shoved in my face
I agree that West Bank settlers are wrong, but the West Bank isn’t run by Hamas. Hamas runs Gaza so I’m not sure the connection you’re trying to establish here
It isn’t an “apartheid” system and doesn’t match the criteria to be defined as one. You could call it a military occupation but apartheid is incorrect.
since when does your chances of being killed give you moral authority? Were the Nazis the good guys because they had more civilian casualties than Americans?
JboneInTheZone
I didn’t “justify” or “dehumanize” anyone so you can stop spouting buzzwords you clearly don’t understand.
Were these places bombed without reason or was there terrorist activity in or around the vicinity?
JboneInTheZone
They’re your own children so of course you have an equal love for all of them, that’s not the argument. The argument is that in general people view the death of a toddler as much worse than the death of a 17 year old
Sanjinosebleed
Israel has lost the PR war pure and simple which is the only reason they agreed to the ceasefire! Claims of anti-Semitism can't hide the fact that the Palestinians have been treated like animals and had their homes stolen from under their feet. The continued annexation of the west bank and now most likely Gaza as well will only create more anger and hatred.
JboneInTheZone
What is your solution?
Sanjinosebleed
Two state solution back to 1948 borders!
JboneInTheZone
Why would Israel ever agree to that?
yipyip
Hamas released 12 hostages and Israel released 30 Palestinian prisoners on Tuesday,
The terrorists are going to continue to pay the price for their war crimes.
Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East, keeps their prisoners--murderers, and other violent offenders in lit, well-kept jail cells above the ground while the demented Hamas terrorists keep hostages--infants, children, the elderly, the disabled, in underground tunnels.
In addition to Hamas, Islamic Jihad also is holding civilian hostages, and along with the more than 1000 Gaza civilian supporters who took part in October 7, those groups will be under siege until they are exterminated, as is justified by international law.
Wick's pencil
Very outdated number. Latest numbers I've seen are: 20,360 Palestinians murdered, 8,241 of them children.
And why choose as the main photo one showing these murderers in a sympathetic way?
yipyip
That's all on Hamas--whatever the number might be, and so which is not significant because the war is about self-defense of the only democratic country in the Middle East.
The picture shows IDF soldiers, who are fighting in defense of their country, not that Hamas terrorists who committed murder, which they videotaped so no one can say otherwise.
u_s__reamer
The Biden administration has told Israel it must avoid “significant further displacement” and mass casualties among Palestinian civilians if it resumes the offensive, and that it must operate with more precision in southern Gaza than it has in the north, according to U.S. officials. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity
“significant further* **displacement**”, mass "casualties", "operate with more precision***"
These ugly, bureaucratic euphemisms cannot hide the cruel, barbaric destruction of human life and property that Americans have greenlit with their unregistered and unrestricted supply of weaponry in this one-sided slaughter. The above language also betrays Biden's fears of political fallout for his election chances - young people, especially, do not take kindly to murdering children with bombs.
Attilathehungry
Sanjin; the two state solution is dead. It cannot happen if one side wants to murder the other side and push them into the ocean. It will take 15-20 years of radical deprogramming before Gazans or indeed any Palestinians are ready to see Israel as a legitimate country.
First step is eliminating Hamas, their supporters in Gaza, and their backers abroad. Second step is a de-Hamasification program, similar to that used in Japan after WW2 to end emperor worship. Third step is targeted international aid that goes to actually improving the lives of Gazans- NOT to terrorist activities or lining the pockets of corrupt officials. Then Gaza and Israel can have peace.
As for the "poor teenagers" who are jailed for 'throwing stones'- try going to a JSDF base and throwing stones at some of the soldiers there. See how long you can get away with it.
itsonlyrocknroll
To attempt rationalization is probably a false promise hope.
I suggest this is the best it can be.
Before war resumes.
itsonlyrocknroll
At present any side by side two state solution is delusional
Joe Blow
Taking bets: when all the hostages are back, the ceasefire will be broken and Israel will completely flatten Gaza.
JboneInTheZone
The Palestinian authority doesn’t account for combatant deaths in a separate category and lumps them all together with civilian deaths. For all we know 10,000 of those killed could be Hamas fighters. You’re being dishonest here
No, 8241 of them are not “children”, they’re minors. Stop spreading misinformation and trying to mislead people
Raw Beer
Well, according to the israelis, they have killed between 1000 and 2000 combatants, so it's at least 18,000 murdered Palestinian civilians. But considering israel has a habit of considering any Palestinian of a certain age as a combatant, I suspect the actual number of murdered civilians is closer to the 20,000.
Depends on you definition of child.
According to Oxford Languages: A child is "a young human being below the age of puberty or below the legal age of majority."
According to justforkidslaw.org: "Who is a child? The answer to this question in international and domestic law is clear: a child is anyone under the age of 18."
RichardPearce
Those caught participating in the Crime Against Humanity (population displacement) aren't 'hostages' in any meaningful sense. Those seized by an occupying power, even the ones that have been 'tried' in a court system that is a violation of the Geneva Conventions are more deserving of the term 'hostages'.
Chabbawanga
No, the image of a dead toddler is much worse than the image of a dead teenager.
There is no standard to dictate which is worse. Is the death of a 3 year old worse than the death of a 5 year old? Is the death of a 9 year old worse than the death of a ten year old? Is the death of a prepubescent 13 year old worse than the death of a pubescent 11 year old? The death of all young people is a tragedy.
RichardPearce
It should be noted that since the Hamas Rebellion, the Israeli regime has kidnapped more Palestinian hostages than it has been forced to release.
Raw Beer
That would definitely be fairer than the pre-June 1967 borders. Better yet would be restoring historic Palestine. But realistically, the most likely option would be a one-state solution, with a right of return.
JboneInTheZone
Do you have a source for this?
According to Merriam-Webster a child is “a young person especially between infancy and puberty”. I think the word ‘child’ conjures up a certain image in people’s minds that people associate with someone pre-pubescent. I doubt most people’s minds mediated jump to 17 year olds when the word ‘child’ is used as we usually refer to them as teenagers
Chabbawanga
Funny how the definition of 'child' only seems important when justifying the murder of and sexual abuse of young people.
"She was 14, so she was asking for it"
"He was 15, old enough to carry a gun, old enough to be killed by a gun"
JJE
Netanyahu needs Hamas and vice versa - that's why he is on the record calling for financial donations to them.
Already under immense pressure domestically before all this, he is under even more to have civilian captives released thus the current ceasefire. IDF prisoners will be another kettle of fish.
On top of that is the "fog of war" and the Hannibal Directive that saw the IDF inflict many of the losses after Oct 7. The status of ongoing IDF losses is also unclear.
Biden's electoral standing with core constituencies is taking a big hit according to polls. Many unanswered questions.
Raw Beer
A: young person especially between infancy and puberty.
B: a person not yet of the age of majority.
JboneInTheZone
So let me ask you this. When you hear the word ‘child’, do you immediately picture a 17 year old?
justasking
Because pro-Palestine terrorists likes calling 17 years and 11 months old terrorists as "children".
JboneInTheZone
Nobody ever says this
Nobody ever says this
Antiquesaving
Lest see, Israel created the Palestinian "self rule" areas on paper, calling them Palestinian territories.
South Africa created the tribal Homelands with "self rule"
Israel controls the borders, immigration, who can and cannot go into the territories, Palestinians need permission to build within their territory from Israel, Israel police and military raid and take people away without charges or trial!
Israel lets Palestinians in to work in Israel as usually cheap manual labour and the return to the Palestinian territories at night!
South Africa apartied controlled the borders, immigration, who can and cannot go into the black homelands they needed permission to build within their territory from the South Africa, apartheid government South Africa apartheid police and military raided and took people away without charges or trial!
South Africa, partied government let Blacks in to work in white south Africa usually as cheap manual labour and the return to the Black homelands at night!
So tell me do you see a difference?
JboneInTheZone
None of this has any relation to the definition of “apartheid”. Apartheid is “a policy or system of segregation or discrimination on grounds of race.” Palestinians are Arabs and Arabs aren’t systemically discriminated against in Israel based purely on their race
Raw Beer
I picture a person from about 3 years of age to 17. You'd have a point if people were using the term "toddler", but it is perfectly valid and legally correct to use the term "children".
If when you hear the term "adult" you picture an image of a 20 year old, does that make it misleading to use it to describe a 30 year old?
So the israelis murdered 8,241 Palestinian children.
Antiquesaving
Civilized countries don't execute or kill children 1 month old or 17 years old.
Only places we regularly criticize like Iran etc..
But when Israel does it or it's number one supporter the USA.
Well suddenly we are told to look away and swallow all the excuses given by both!
Remember here how outraged so many were when the woman died in custody of Iran's religious police!
But most of the same people criticizing Iran are now trying to justify the killing of children using semantics.
They try justify the killing of over 6000 Palestinians between 2009 and October 7th, they try justifying the incarceration without trial and without charges of nearly 5000 Palestinians at this time before October 7th.
Funny if this was Iran Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan doing what Israel does and is doing, you would all be up in arms, saying someone needs to stop them.
Chabbawanga
They say it on this forum in the comments for almost any article about an adult being caught having sex with an underaged teenager.
Anyway, this whole argument is ridiculous. You are trying to downplay the killing of innocent civilians because some of them might be 11 instead of 12.
wallace
Israel is losing support in the US because of the killings of 15,000 civilians.
JboneInTheZone
You’re arguing in bad faith here. A simple Google search of ‘child’ doesn’t bring up anyone that looks around 17 and to say that the majority of people imagine a 17 year old when they hear the word ‘child’ is being dishonest.
I think that when it comes to adults the physical differences between a 20 year old and 30 year old aren’t as drastic as those between a 17 and 4 year old. Do you believe that there’s as much of a physical difference between a 20 year old and a 30 year old as there is a 4 year old and a 17 year old?
Antiquesaving
https://www.ochaopt.org/data/casualties
Extracts:
Note the UN definition!
Note the Palestinian deaths!
6622 before October 7 the
Note the number killed by air launched weapons 3222
But note the death when "none" is selected, meaning the number of Palestinians killed when no conflict was happening 2556.
How does 2556 people get killed by IDF when no conflicts are going on?
Note that nearly 1000 of those 6622 are from the west bank not Hamas controlled
Antiquesaving
Then you are saying the UN is dishonest?
https://www.ochaopt.org/data/casualties
And you can bet that if the person killed was under 18 and Israeli the news would be calling then children!
The western and Israeli news and government hypocrisy!
Chabbawanga
A mystery
bass4funk
Focus, I support the IDF arresting and killing any terrorist if that is beyond a shadow of doubt proven.
What is the reason and context if that is indeed the case?
Hanas is being prompt and supported by Iran.
From the River to the Sea.....when you have that belief, there is no way you will capitulate because in doing so would mean your extinction.
The media is working overtime as usual
And that justifies for 10/7? Ok, this is why no one takes Hamas seriously or their supporters.
Raw Beer
@Jbone, you started this when you said that WP was wrong, just because you have a different image of what a child is. WP was in fact correct when we consider the English and legal definition of "child". If anyone was "arguing in bad faith here" it's you, when you provided only one of the two definitions from Merriam-Webster (the one that supported your claim) while ignoring the other definition.
Anyway, the last thing I'll say about this is that if you want to have an idea of the number of murdered Gazan children (according to your definition), the Lancet paper below provides the data for each age group from Oct 7 - Oct 26
Roughly one third of all Gazan deaths are children (according to your definition, 0-14).
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(23)02640-5/fulltext
Antiquesaving
https://defenceforchildren.org/hrc53-side-event-childhood-in-captivity-palestinian-children-arbitrarily-detained-in-israeli-prisons/
Read the full report it is something one would expect in Taliban Afghanistan.
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/04/israel-opt-palestinian-administrative-detainees-complete-100-days-of-boycotting-israeli-courts/
Sounds like some banana republic!
This is a democracy?