Gaza invasion delayed over US pressing 'Israel' on captives: Bloomberg
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Bloomberg says the United States is pressuring the Israeli occupation to not invade Gaza as it seeks to get the captives out of the country.
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Israeli soldiers deploy in the settlement 'Kfar Azza', October 10, 2023 (AP)
US and European governments are intensifying pressure on the Israeli occupation to postpone its planned ground invasion of Gaza with the aim of creating a window of opportunity for the release of hostages, Bloomberg reported on Saturday.
Reportedly, according to people familiar with the matter, secret negotiations currently taking place through Qatar to secure the release of Israelis and foreign nationals taken captive by Hamas.
The delicate nature of the negotiations with Hamas has raised concerns about the likelihood of success, the US outlet said, though there are signs the Palestinian Resistance is willing to release some captives without asking for any prisoners in return due to them being foreign civilians. Two American women have already been freed.
The Israeli occupation has conceded to US pressure and decided to postpone their ground invasion of Gaza in what they see as "retaliation" for Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, which took place two weeks ago and saw the Palestinian Resistance movement taking captive somewhere between 200-250 people, including foreign nationals, illegal Israeli settlers, and occupying soldiers.
Captive 'crisis'
These captives are being held within Gaza, where the Israeli occupation is conducting indiscriminate airstrikes that have reportedly killed several Israelis and foreigners, as "Tel Aviv" did not take into consideration its own people when it came to bombarding the Gaza Strip.
The White House declined to comment on the situation, and so did the Israeli government.
On October 16th, Hamas' armed wing, Al-Aqsa Brigades, said non-Israeli captives would be released "when circumstances on the ground allow."
The Resistance movement also reassured the families of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons that the Resistance has made a promise to itself and is determined to bring joy to every Palestinian home regarding the prisoners' file.
Hamas announced late Friday the release of an American woman and her daughter, stating that this was in response to efforts from Qatar. Subsequently, both the Israeli occupation and the United States confirmed the release of these captives.
Qatar, meanwhile, voiced its commitment to continuing dialogue with both Israelis and the Palestinian Resistance, with the hope that these efforts will ultimately lead to the release of all captives who do not have military affiliations.
The United States and its allies have dispatched a series of high-ranking officials to "Tel Aviv" since the October 7 operation. Their mission is to urge Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right cabinet to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza and "minimize civilian casualties" should a ground invasion take place. However, the Israeli occupation has been doing everything but keeping civilian casualties to a minimum throughout its onslaught on Gaza.
Gaza quite the pickle
Netanyahu has been claiming that he wants to "eradicate Hamas" in Gaza but also secure the release of the captives, which could prove to be quite an arduous task.
Today, the Israeli occupation recalled more than 300,000 mostly inexperienced reservists in order to invade Gaza on foot as it promises to minimize civilian casualties.
The Israeli newspaper "Maariv" reported that the IOF had brought in reinforcements along the border with the Gaza Strip, noting that it had pushed tanks and heavy artillery to 20 locations.
However, it is significant to note that Palestinian Resistance fighters continue to be present throughout multiple Gaza envelope settlements, as confrontations remain ongoing on that front.
Moreover, the separation fence, built by "Israel" to segregate the Gaza Strip, has been breached in tens of spots, making it very difficult to contain the strip, especially without securing the envelope settlements.
Sky News' military analyst Sean Bell said last week a ground invasion into Gaza is considered a "very high risk" for "Israel".
The Israeli military has gathered soldiers and tanks along the border, fueling speculation of a potential invasion. However, Israeli leaders have not yet confirmed any decision. In light of this, analysts suggest that a ground invasion could be launched within a matter of hours or days.
Bell, who served in the British Royal Air Force and left in 2012 as Air Vice Marshal, stressed that sending troops into populated areas in Gaza represents a “high-risk strategy” for Israel.
He said "Urban fighting is very, very dangerous - every corner, every doorway, every window might hide a potential threat," suggesting that the IOF will be very exposed.
