Forget the suspension fork. Those are for serious off road riding and only add complexity, weight and expense for a utility bike.

You probably don't need the suspension seatpost either, but if you really want a little more cushioning, a sprung saddle would probably do just as well. Too much bounce and it will affect your pedaling and take away efficiency. Maybe take whatever the bike comes with and then decide after a few rides.

Agree with the gearing, though your terminology is in error. What you need is a low gear. A high or tall gear is harder to pedal. Think of the old fashioned penny-farthings. A high gear is like having a large front wheel, while a low gear is like having a small one. In fact, this is how gears are rated, in "gear inches".

Five speeds would likely be an internal hub. A derailleur equipped bike should do just fine as well, IMO. An internal hub has less maintenance and no exposed parts, however. I'm not sure, but I think internal hubs may be more expensive.

Crank forward is a personal preference thing, but unless you have specific need or preference, I don't see why you should limit yourself to such a narrow selection of bikes.

Good sturdy tires will protect nicely against flats, but you can add tire liners if you are really worried. However, it's more weight to have to accelerate to speed. Most hybrids and mountain bikes will come with perfectly good tires.

The accessories list sounds ok, though I don't ever see cyclists with knee and elbow pads. (I could have used some a year ago, however) Instead of a basket, you might also look at an inexpensive rack trunk or utility panniers. I have some shopping panniers from REI, about the size of a standard paper grocery sack. Very handy.