Gaza : Are Israel's strikes on Rafah incompatible with the liberation of hostages?
Visit our website:
http://www.france24.com
Like us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/FRANCE24.English
Follow us on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/France24_en
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00 We're gonna get a bit more analysis now with Oliver McTernan who's the director of forward thinking joining me live from London Oliver
00:07 Let's start with all of this back and forth thing
00:09 It seemed like there was a breakthrough after that
00:11 It seemed like the breakthrough wasn't happening after all where do we stand now when it comes to the negotiations? What's the biggest sticking point? I?
00:18 Think the biggest sticking point is getting the prime minister. Nethanyahu who agreed to a ceasefire even
00:28 Along, you know 42 days at a time. I
00:31 As long as the war goes on
00:34 He has the full support as we've seen if he's not just his cabinet, but I think the Knesset generally most
00:42 politicians in Israel are fully supportive of the goal that he said at the beginning and that is to see the demise of
00:50 Hamas I think it's
00:53 Unfortunate for the hostages and the family but that goal seems to be the one that is it's taking priority at the moment
01:00 Indeed, but he did also set another goal at least to the Israeli people which was to free the hostages are those two goals
01:08 incompatible I
01:11 Think totally incompatible in my experience of negotiations
01:15 between Gaza and the Israeli
01:18 Government
01:23 You know, whatever pressure you put on I think it's difference resistance and I think we're not going to see the hostages
01:31 delivered by this and
01:34 Also, it's putting the hostages lives at great risk
01:37 because I'm sure no one knows exactly where the hostages are and
01:43 That's one of the problems unless you have a ceasefire. You cannot guarantee their safety. You cannot make sure that they're
01:51 Able to gather in one place and be delivered safely to their families
01:56 So I think it's a very high risk strategy
01:59 but I think the Israeli spokesperson you had on gave us an indication of
02:06 What's behind this move? He said put pressure on a mass yesterday's the hostages, but the other goals of the war now
02:15 Gaza at present is
02:18 Practically unlivable in if this assault goes on in Rafa. It will make
02:24 Gaza
02:26 Totally unlivable in there'll be no structure where you can form a temporary
02:31 administration or whatever to look after the pressing needs of
02:35 health and
02:37 Education justice all of those day-to-day needs now
02:41 That's what worries me that is one of the unstated intentions of the war
02:46 actually to make Gaza unlivable in and to see the
02:50 forced
02:53 You might say exile off the people of Gaza
02:56 You've been talking to people colleagues and others who are in Rafa at the moment. What have they been telling you so far?
03:03 Well first and foremost they feel the world has given up on them and they feel totally abandoned
03:11 I think that I'm talking now about
03:14 Gazans themselves Palestinians. They're also as from this morning totally cut off from the outside world
03:21 because the fact that Israel has taken over the Rafa crossing it means that
03:27 any
03:29 Passing through the crossing will now depend entirely upon the Israeli forces
03:34 And I think that's a deeply worrying
03:37 Development for them too because many have family that have already left Gaza
03:44 That there was fortunate enough to get except and be able to stay in Cairo or elsewhere
03:49 The possibility now if the family members being able to rejoin them, I think is much lessened by what's happened the development today
03:57 Oliver what about the role of the United States in all of this? The talks are continuing today in Cairo
04:03 Has this though these these very rapid developments left the White House scrambling a bit would you say?
04:09 well, I think from the start they've been scrambling because
04:13 they could have played I think a much more positive role by
04:18 Helping the Israeli politicians to understand that they are deeply traumatized
04:25 I was in Israel last week. I talked to politicians
04:29 They're still in a very traumatized state understandably now. You cannot make big decisions that impact
04:38 Have a long-term impact and I think the consequences of something now through the lack of the United States
04:44 Putting the right sort of pressure giving the right sort of advice will go on
04:50 Oliver here. We are seven months after the start of this war. What's the way out at this point? Do you think is there a way out?
04:57 Well, I think the only way out is first and foremost an immediate ceasefire
05:03 There are no winners in this war. Everyone is a loser the people in Gaza the hostages
05:09 The the Israeli government Hamas everyone is a loser because we see
05:14 the the state of our humanity when we look at the people in Gaza and the
05:19 Life-changing conditions that they've had to endure their lives have changed forever. I think the only step forward now an immediate ceasefire
05:29 imposed by the international community and then immediate engagement recognition of
05:35 Palestine the end of occupation that will see the end of resistance give
05:42 Palestinians the state that been waiting for for 75 years and I think Israel will have the security
05:50 It's been looking for for the past 75 years
05:53 Oliver thanks for taking the time to speak to us. That's Oliver McTernan speaking to me from London