Currently Online 
Reaction for one Israeli soldier vs millions in besieged Gaza
Sami Al-Arian, a professor from Istanbul Zaim University, has highlighted the glaring contradiction of the reaction to the Israeli soldier’s release and the response to the ongoing devastation in Gaza.
“It is really a sad state of affairs when you have the whole world mobilised for one soldier. Everyone knows him by name, knows his family, where he was born, that he’s 21 years old. And they turn their back on millions of Palestinians after 18 months of a devastating genocide,” Al-Arian told Al Jazeera.
“What does that say about our world? Where is the Muslim-Arab world? Where is the feeling that these people have been deprived of the basic needs for life, and they’re doing absolutely nothing about it? It’s pretty sad.”
Release changes little for Palestinian families starving in Gaza
This Israeli captive release does not change anything on the ground in Gaza. Palestinians are devastated; they’re exhausted. Palestinian families are unable to feed their children. They’re saying their children are going to bed hungry.
The IPC report issued today said 93 percent of Gaza’s population is living through acute food insecurity. This is because of the blockade that has been imposed on the Gaza Strip.
Palestinians are asking, “What’s next? What is this release going to bring? Are there any positive negotiations? Is there any glimpse of hope of a ceasefire?”
Netanyahu’s ‘indecisiveness’ led to US-Hamas direct talks
Relatives of other captives held in Gaza have expressed frustration after the release of Edan Alexander by Hamas.
Families of abductees without foreign citizenship accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government of indifference.
“Hamas saw that [US] President Trump had enough of Netanyahu’s indecisiveness and threw him a bone, leaving Israel out,” said Shimon Or, whose nephew remains held in Gaza, told the YNet news outlet.
Israel stressed that it remains under no obligation to agree to a ceasefire or prisoner exchange. And despite the release, Israel signalled its intention to escalate military action in Gaza.
It's not indecisiveness, Netanyahu doesn't want the war to end. He's planning to occupy Gaza indefinitely to stay in power.
