Netanyahu tells Israel ‘We are at war’ after Hamas launches an unprecedented attack, killing at leas

Probably edited but it's funny.

 

But are usually (not always) very sympathetic to complaints about "cancel culture" and free speech on campus and saying kids should not be "snowflakes" and be exposed to what is usually very racist materials. It's a bit more complex than that in many cases. But at the 50,000 ft. level....

 

Targeting of journalists has long been an issue. Very hard to prove, but the number of shootings seems hard to square with random error

 

So hard to say what is going on. A lot of noise that hostage release negotiations are going on (possibly with exchanges), and there may not be a full ground invasion and that Hezbollah may hold off, all of which may or may not be related. Hard to say. Obviously, everything is fluid

A senior Hamas official told NBC News' Richard Engel that the group is willing to immediately release all civilian hostages — foreign and Israeli — if Israel stops its airstrikes on Gaza.

The Hamas official said the hostages could be released within the hour as long as Israel meets its terms. He claimed that there is no safe place to release the hostages now.

In exchange for the release of Israeli soldiers held hostage, the Hamas official said Israel must release all Palestinians held in Israeli jails.

The Hamas official also claimed that the U.S. and Israel are already aware of its terms for the release of civilian hostages, because the militant group revealed them in its conversations with the leaders of several Arab countries.


https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/live-blog/israel-hamas-war-live-updates-rcna120747#rcrd21826

"We are preparing for the next stages of war," Israeli Defense Force spokesman Lt. Col. Richard Hecht told a regular briefing with reporters Tuesday, according to Reuters. “We haven't said what they will be. Everybody's talking about the ground offensive. It might be something different."

Israel is preparing in case of a ground operation but is focused on removing Hamas' senior leadership and commanders who remain in the strip, Hecht added, according to The Wall Street Journal.



Amid the raging fighting are efforts to release the nearly 200 hostages held by Hamas.

“Turkey’s top diplomat said Tuesday his country had been in touch with Hamas over some 200 Israeli and foreign hostages the terror group is holding in Gaza, following requests from several governments,” The Times of Israel reported Tuesday. “French President Emmanuel Macron also said that talks to free hostages were ongoing and progressing. Hebrew media reported that he will visit Israel in the coming days, and though the French embassy did not confirm the plans, it said he did wish to make such a trip.”

Israel Gets Coy On Gaza Ground Assault | The Drive


There's a lot more reading between the lines at the second link. I would not be surprised if the Iranians were giving away the locations of senior Hamas leaders and directing hostage releases to avoid the full invasion. And I know the prospect of a ground invasion with precision anti-tank missiles and a possible northern front cannot be appetizing to the IDF. But can Israel really accept that with so many civilians cruelly and grotesquely butchered? I say that without judgment.

But if a wider war is avoided, no doubt the US played a very key behind the scenes role

 

At least 300 dead in Gaza hospital bombing, local authorities say

Ugh

 

I may have missed it but here is the interview with Sasse:

There's 'way too little education happening on elite campuses': Ben Sasse | Fox News Video

 

Jesus. I can't think of a reason to justify bombing a hospital.

 

Yikes. Praying for all the innocent lives lost on both sides.

 

Says the guy who has nothing to do with educating people on campus and is a glorified fundraiser. Maybe he should quit and become a teacher.

 

Need to consider the source here (Hamas). But if Israel did this I hope they have a good reason.

 

‘Oopsy we bombed a hospital please give us aid’ - US/Israel relations in a nutshell.

https://x.com/spectatorindex/status/1714357548550406193?s=46&t=EKOmZ8fhRWXZhuJUKcMPrw

 

accept the trade of hostages and once secure, annihilate Hamas.

 

So the hospital bombing issue. The IDF previously gave notice of intent to hit 5 hospitals and saying they should be evacuated now, including the Baptist Hospital that was later hit, causing horrific casualties. I will say that I think you don't hit hospitals even though Hamas deliberately stations operational facilities in hospitals, thinking that makes them invulnerable.

I suggested as much here - War in Ukraine

and I know I have referenced more explicitly that you don't take that shot even though they are hiding there, before but cannot find now.

Now the "hit" on the hospital is getting a lot of coverage in the Arab world and understandably inflaming public opinion, giving leaders less room to ratchet down hostilities.

But the IDF, despite previously saying they might hit the hospital, says they didn't - it was an errant Hamas missile (EDIT - saying Palestinian Islamic Jihad rocket). And the IDF is releasing footage which they say confirms it was a [PIJ] missile. I am not competent to judge this "evidence". I will say that if they can conclusively prove that it was a [PIJ] missile, that needs to get out, because the "bombing" of the hospital is getting a lot of coverage and is really firing up people.

Here's the link, along with some interesting comments seeming to challenge the evidence

 

I had seen the hospital referred to as the Baptist Hospital - different name here, but not an IDF source

 

If the missile is coming from Gaza, odds are high i was an errant missile.

 

Obviously (I didn't mean that snarkily). Question is whether that is the correct video. Some in the comments suggest otherwise. Also other challenges I am not qualified to judge. I don't know. My only comment remains that the incident is causing a lot of uproar. So if it can be shown as persuasively as possible to be a Hamas rocket, that needs to get out there

 

And more

 

The Israelis are putting out a LOT of data



I will say that at this point, I think it more likely that it was PIJ rocket. The Israelis are putting a LOT out there that could be dissected and exposed if it was not accurate. Unless that info gets taken apart, I think it wasn't an Israeli bomb

 

Good story from Tyler Rogoway. Sorry to post so much on this, but IMO, very important. As this piece shows, this incident was horrific and is getting a LOT of play in the Arab world as an unthinkable war crime

Many Killed In Massive Explosion At Gaza Hospital | The Drive

 

Curious that we should all be relieved that the missile that hit the Gaza hospital was actually intended to hit an Israeli hospital.