Spare the hostages and prisoners.

 

In wretched wars gone by, we had mostly heard of 'prisoners of war', where warring nations got hold of the soldiers who were captured alive and put them in detention camps.And after the wars, we had seen or heard prisoners of wars of both factions being exchanged, or released, after all sorts of diplomatic or political manoeuvres. But in this accursed war between Israel and Hamas, we are seeing innocent men and women, civilians being dragged and taken away forcibly at gunpoint and kept as  bargaining powers, or to say plainly, for blackmailing purposes. What a sickening, deploring thing this is..They should fight their damned wars but not stoop to  the disgusting level of holding innocent people at their mercies. Doesn't the Geneva Convention of 1949 establish that it is a war crime to take civilians as hostages or prisoners? 

It is said that Hamas is holding about 240 civilians as hostages. Israel, after the Hamas attack on 7th October, is said to have, immediately, 'arrested' about 4000 Palestinians, many of them labourers, and put them in detention camps or prisons 

Now, at the time of this writing, I hear that Qatar, with the presence of Egypt and the United States, had obtained a hard-fought agreement for a ceasefire of 4 days and an  exchange of captives; 50 hostages held by Hamas for 150 Palestinian prisoners held by the Israelis. See how they play with the lives of innocent people!

 Wars are cruel and often follow no set rules, but please do not stoop to this dirty level of taking hostages or imprisoning  of people not even involved in any disputes. I hope the great almighty organisation,'YOU KNIGHTED  NATIONS', will show its armour and prevent such lowly occurrences. Well, what I meant was the United Nations should be more forceful and see that war-rules on hostages and prisoners are adhered to. I hope all the hostages and all the people in the detention camps or prisons are released promptly. May God bless them and their families with mercy and  kindness.

Only when it happens to you....

 

Only when it happens to you will you feel the real pain. Until then, it will be, "Poor souls, they are suffering so much, they are so unlucky! No, it won't happen to us!"

The above conception and perception have been every human being's instinctual  thought since time immemorial. So, when the cursed wars are going on in other corners  of the world, with the humanity suffering the torturous  consequences, we go on, here, in our own  corner  of the world, with our routine way of life; going to the movies, going to the stadiums to cheer our favourite teams, having parties, going to our favourite restaurants, gobbling up our favourite  foods and drinks, having  karaoke sessions; watching the tv dramas and comedies - all the routines, because, "No, it won't happen to us! Those poor souls, they are so unlucky!"

 Yes, only when it happens to us will we feel the real pain, the agony, the physical and mental tortures, the heartaches, the untold anguish! 

Strange creations  we are. Are we not? 

" Waiter, my usual, please!"