Causes of Conflict

Prisoner Swap Update

Israel refuses to open Gaza border crossings further until Shalit released

The Israeli security cabinet voted against further opening of Gaza border crossings today, tying the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit to further progress. Hamas has said that Israel would have to agree to release as many as 1400 Palestinian prisoners in return. They include Fateh and Hamas members. Hamas has refused to link Shalit's release to any future truce, however.

David Hulme

Palestinian-Israeli Prisoner Swap

Hamas and Israel move toward Gaza truce

Helena Cobban has written a lot over the years on the ME. In this link she has a very detailed run down on the latest Israeli-Palestinian negotiations over prisoner releases that could free key Hamas and Fateh militants from Israeli hands, and one Israeli soldier held in Gaza since 2006. All of this could be the precursor to declaration of another truce between Hamas and Israel on Wednesday. Reconciliation between Hamas and Fateh also seems to be on the cards. Meetings in Cairo indicate progress toward shared responsibilities and new elections.

David Hulme

Gaza's Ordeal Continues

Who really cares about Gaza's war ravaged people?

Google News Gaza War If there’s one thing that’s evident about the ever-sickening situation in Gaza, it’s that the ordinary suffering citizen is getting little help from Hamas or Israel or apparently anyone else. According to the New York Times, even the U.N. refugee agency in Gaza can obtain only a portion (in volume and range) of its much-needed supplies from across the Israeli blockaded border. To make matters worse, armed Hamas police have recently stolen some of the essential supplies—food and blankets—from a U.N. distribution center in Gaza City. And now the U.N. has temporarily suspended sending any supplies into Gaza because of a second Hamas theft of ten vehicles loaded with flour and rice.

Eyes on Gaza People around the world, among them journalists, commentators, bloggers, scholars and government leaders have decried the Israeli attack on Gaza. What will it take to resolve this seemingly impossible impasse between brothers on the same land? Gaza: U.N. Agency Stops Its Imports "The United Nations agency that distributes food to a majority of Gaza's refugees said Friday that it was suspending imports of goods because Hamas, the militant group that controls Gaza, had twice stolen aid from it."

David Hulme