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A commentary on the moral inequalities of Israel and Hamas

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A commentary on the moral inequalities of Israel and Hamas



The ongoing Israel-Hamas war has captured the attention of the entire world, evoking a myriad of emotions. The recent humanitarian truce has brought relief as families, including babies, children, and elderly Israelis, are finally reuniting after enduring nearly two months of captivity at the hands of Hamas.

Each night, Israelis are glued to their television screens, witnessing the return of hostages in a global media event broadcasted by Arab and international networks. The anticipation is palpable as people watch with bated breath, hoping to see innocent Israelis emerge from the clutches of their Hamas captors.

However, labeling the truce as a mere “hostage exchange” oversimplifies the complexity of the situation. Hamas has reluctantly released abducted children, babies, sick, and elderly individuals who suffered in underground terror tunnels in Gaza without adequate medical treatment. In contrast, Israel not only agreed to release convicted murderers and terrorists held in its prisons but also accepted a conspicuously unequal exchange, releasing three terrorists for each innocent Israeli.

Despite the significant concessions made by Israel, the nation’s moral stance remains resolute. The safe return of its citizens takes precedence, even at the high cost of halting military operations and releasing Palestinian terrorists. This underscores the unwavering commitment to prioritizing the well-being of its people over other considerations.

HOSTAGE RIMON KIRSHT, wearing pink pajamas, boldly stares with unwavering disdain into the eyes of a masked and heavily armed Hamas terrorist upon her release this week. (credit: REUTERS)

The Sanctity of Life vs. The Glorification of Death

The most glaring difference between Israel and Hamas can be viewed in the fundamental belief in the sanctity of life and the glorification of death. The intrinsic value that the Jewish people place on life has come with a high cost, as evident through the hostage negotiations that have taken place throughout the humanitarian truce that began last Friday. While this has been a matter of significant public and political discourse, and even when faced with such a difficult strategic decision, Israeli leadership has demonstrated its adherence to the Jewish value of the sanctity of life.

As part of the negotiations, Israel has released Palestinian prisoners and detainees, in exchange for over 70 Israeli hostages innocent civilians ranging from children to the elderly, some suffering from cancer and other illnesses, without their glasses or medication. There is no moral equivalency between a baby taken from her cradle and kept underground and a convicted terrorist who will most certainly continue to spread violence against Israeli civilians.

Hamas and their followers continue to praise the actions of violence and terror at the hands of their returned prisoners, while Israeli hostages are babies, grandparents, and young people who did nothing else other than go to a party to celebrate life.

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli War Cabinet ultimately decided that there was no question that the return of Israeli hostages was one of the top priorities, alongside the total elimination of Hamas, despite the significant strategic blow to Israel’s military campaign, and against pressure from Netanyahu’s far-right bloc to hold out for a better deal as military operations would have significantly continued to weaken Hamas strongholds. This deal also enabled the supply of vast humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip for Palestinian civilians who are being abused by the oppressive regime that rules over them. But unfortunately, Hamas will use this ceasefire and the humanitarian aid provided by Israel and the international community to their ends.

The negative outcomes of temporary ceasefires with Hamas and the misuse and reappropriation of humanitarian aid have been proven time and time again. We have seen this in Operation Protective Edge and Pillar of Defense, as Hamas has used the cover of the ceasefire as a means to regroup, import more weapons, and steal humanitarian supplies for their terror tunnels. Hamas will most certainly take oil, medical supplies, and food to their base of operations as a means to outlast the impending resurgence of Israel’s military operation, embedding themselves within the maze of underground tunnels beneath the civilian population. Israel has sacrificed its military advantage by extending a period, halting any intelligence and surveillance, losing more international support, and allowing Hamas significantly valuable time to regroup, rearm, and embed themselves within the civilian population that they are using as human shields.

The IDF is the strongest military power in the region, with undeniable defense and intelligence capabilities. Even with a temporary ceasefire hauling its operation, the Israeli army has the capacity and know-how needed to annihilate Hamas and kill every last terrorist commander, until the threat of the brutal regime is eliminated at its roots. Israel’s strength also stems from its unity and unwavering national spirit. This is most evident in the statement of the families of those who were not released. While their pain will continue to intensify as the weeks continue with the void left by their loved ones still in captivity, they share in the joy of the children and grandmothers returning to their families.

There is still a level of envy for the hostages who have been released, but they know that Israel continues to push hard to secure their freedom. It is this collective unity, the overwhelming feeling that each hostage is part of our own family, which Jewish people share and the understanding of the immeasurable challenge that Israel is facing that will continue to be a source of strength as the war continues.

The Theater of the Absurd

The release of the Israeli hostages has generated a wave of emotion that has swept over the entire country, highlighting the collective and conflicting duality of pain and elation, as children are seen running to their parents and loved ones. Like every other Israeli, I feel that each child is like my own, and while we are overjoyed to see the release of these children, our hearts continue to ache for the horrifying trauma they endured, which is starting to come to light as more are sharing their experiences as captives of Hamas in the underground tunnels of terror. 12-year-old Eitan Yahalomi, who was released this week, was forced to watch the videos of the October 7th massacre over and over, held at gunpoint every time he would cry. While Eitan’s family shares their joy with the rest of Israel, Eitan’s father, Ohan, continues to be held separately in Gaza, and their family remains fractured.

I look at the surreal video of Sharon Aloni Cunio and another unidentified female hostage in matching bright pink jumpsuits, each holding one of Sharon’s twin toddlers, Yuli and Emma, as the group slowly makes their way to safety through a line of Hamas Nukhba fighters, armed and in full uniform, their faces covered with a black mask with the notorious green band tied around their head. Their father David is still being held captive in Gaza. This image of three-year-old twins being carried out of captivity, surrounded by Hamas’ evil special forces, breaks the humanitarian mold that the terrorist regime attempted to stage.

Throughout the rounds of releases, the outward attempts by Hamas to portray an exaggerated concern for these hostages, holding the hands of elderly women and waving at young children, is a production of the theater of the absurd, a thinly veiled attempt to show their world their false sense of humanity. But what kind of humans continue to separate a father from his children, who have been held in deplorable conditions, sleeping on plastic chairs and eating little to nothing for days on end? The failed attempt to show their empathy for the well-being of their hostages, while carrying M16 rifles in a neutral zone is so pitiful that it is almost comedic. These same terrorists who abducted screaming children from their homes and slaughtered their family and friends in one day beheaded babies and kept old and sick grandmothers trapped like animals deep underground, now trying to show the world that they care make a mockery of human rights organizations and media alike who fall into the trap of the theatrical performance they have put on. The bright lights and exaggerated gestures, forcing Israeli children to smile weakly and wave under duress and fear of what will happen to their loved ones who remain a hostage of Hamas, is almost like a Hollywood production, only instead of California, they are at the Rafah Crossing.

But just like Hollywood, this performance is nothing more than an overly lit stage and bad acting. Hamas is spreading fake news, hugging hostages like they took care of them, but the truth is so evident. No level of acting can mask the horrors that took place on October 7th and no level of supposed compassion can overcome the true face of evil- it only underscores the extent of Hamas’s psychopathy and the disillusionment of a world that seems to humanize their actions.

Still, we need to celebrate the return of each life, especially the women, children, and elderly, whose prolonged abduction has been the most heartbreaking for every Israeli.

The safe return of our people makes me feel proud to live in this country, a country that will always choose life over death, no matter the cost – a clear contrast to the values of Hamas, who are praising the release of convicted terrorists like Israa Jaabis, who detonated a car bomb near the Israeli town of Ma’ale Adumim, seriously injuring an Israeli police officer. Marah Bechir was just 16 when she stabbed a policeman and Ragah Abu Kias, also 16, opened fire on a group of Israeli civilians in 2021. Each has returned to their homes in east Jerusalem, where Jewish neighbors will live in continued fear of future terrorist activities as they continue to rally behind violent Hamas’s poisonous ideology. These three terrorists were exchanged for 9-year-old Emily Hand, who was violently abducted by Hamas while attending a sleepover with one of her best friends in Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7th.

But this is not a victory. Even after all of the hostages are returned, Israel will never be able to celebrate after the tragic loss of life that has taken place. There is a clear objective, and Israel cannot allow Hamas to remain in control of Gaza. Despite the military intelligence failure that led to the October 7th massacre, Israel remains one of the strongest military and strategic powers in the world. We can wipe out Hamas, but we are affording more time for a ceasefire to save as many lives as possible. Hamas will utilize the resource of time to rely on the relevant actors, such as Qatar and the United States, to put pressure on Israel to find a diplomatic solution. Arab and European leadership, as well as the vocal protests around the world, are being utilized as a form of psychological warfare against Israel, relying on the influence of external powers to supplement Hamas’ military disadvantage. Hamas wants the world to force Israel into a diplomatic solution, which will also allow them to further poison Palestinian society in an attempt to upend any hope of peace and prosperity in the Middle East.

The coming weeks will be the most trying of the entire war, as IDF soldiers will be forced to resume their military operations with a significant disadvantage, but renewed fervor to stop at nothing until each of the remaining hostages is safely reunited with their families and the threat of the Hamas terrorist regime will be forever eradicated.





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Biden delays deporting Lebanese citizens from US over Hezbollah-Israel conflict

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Biden delays deporting Lebanese citizens from US over Hezbollah-Israel conflict



The United States is deferring the removal of certain Lebanese citizens from the country, President Joe Biden said on Friday, citing humanitarian conditions in southern Lebanon amid tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.

The deferred designation, which lasts 18 months, allows Lebanese citizens to remain in the country with the right to work, according to a memorandum Biden sent to the Department of Homeland Security.

“Humanitarian conditions in southern Lebanon have significantly deteriorated due to tensions between Hezbollah and Israel,” Biden said in the memo.

“While I remain focused on de-escalating the situation and improving humanitarian conditions, many civilians remain in danger; therefore, I am directing the deferral of removal of certain Lebanese nationals who are present in the United States.”

Increased attacks since Oct.7

Israel and Hezbollah have been trading fire since Hezbollah announced a “support front” with Palestinians shortly after its ally Hamas attacked southern Israeli border communities on Oct. 7, triggering Israel’s military assault in Gaza.

Firefighters work to extinguish wildfires following a missile attack from Lebanon which fell on the Israeli-Syrian border, Valley of Tears, Golan Heights, on July 20, 2024. (credit: MICHAL GILADI/FLASH90)

The fighting in Lebanon has killed more than 100 civilians and more than 300 Hezbollah fighters, according to a Reuters tally, and led to levels of destruction in Lebanese border towns and villages not seen since the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war.

On the Israeli side, 10 Israeli civilians, a foreign agricultural worker and 20 Israeli soldiers have been killed. Tens of thousands have been evacuated from both sides of the border.

Hezbollah is an Iran-backed terrorist group and the most powerful military and political force in Lebanon.





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Preparing for war: Haifa mayor describes city’s infrastructure changes tensions in North escalate

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Preparing for war: Haifa mayor describes city’s infrastructure changes tensions in North escalate



Haifa mayor Yona Yahav spoke this past Monday with Lior Rosenfeld on Radio North 104.5FM about the escalation of the war in the North and his entry into political office amidst the security situation.

Yahav began, “I cannot speak on behalf of the North as I don’t know exactly what’s happening there. No one updates me, as if we are not the largest and most important city in the North. Tomorrow, the Home Front Command is coming to see us for the first time, and we will see what they have to say. We are doing everything to ensure that the city itself and our residents are safe and know what to do in case, God forbid, missiles fall on us. They are more accurate than those in 2006.”

Yahav also discussed the city’s preparations for a war in the North.

“We are now changing the entire method of building public structures,” Yahav said. “We are preparing them for prolonged stays. The minimum will be four consecutive days in shelters and such buildings, which require preparation. For example, installing toilets, which we don’t have today, and we have given instructions to build them in places close to where new houses are being built. This has been fully understood, and developers have begun to understand that the talk about evacuation and reconstruction has undergone drastic changes in light of the security situation. For example, road width needs to be maintained for the sake of evacuating residents on these roads. These are things that were not considered until now and must now be taken into account.”

Yonah Yahav (credit: ASLAN ABGANA)

Yahav’s plans for the success of Haifa’s future

Yahav then discussed his appeal to the transportation minister to stop the Highway 23 Carmel Tunnels’ toll charge.

“We called on the transportation minister to stop the discrimination. Haifa and the North are always discriminated against compared to central Israel, and there’s no reason for this. There are huge tunnels dug in Jerusalem that do not cost residents any money to pass through. There’s no reason why the tunnels dug in Haifa should include a toll. I speak on behalf of Haifa residents, and we are preparing to petition if we do not receive an answer.”

Regarding his entry into his mayoral role about three months ago, Yahav said, “I found a completely ruined city. They destroyed the municipality, and it’s very difficult to move things around. I don’t understand how residents sat idly by and kept quiet. We are trying to go to government offices to fix relations, to get funds, to move projects to bring in fees – and we are doing all this in a short time.

“The ministers are acting openly and with the goodwill to help. I am now waiting for the money on the table. The casino building in Bat Galim will be a luxurious hotel on the Bat Galim seashore. This neighborhood will undergo a complete transformation and will be the most beautiful neighborhood in the country. It will also be the only neighborhood facing a recognized beach. We came to make a change, and we will succeed.”

In conclusion, he touched on the issue of wild boars: “You won’t be able to follow them because soon you won’t see them anymore.”





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‘Psychological operation’: Turkey condemns FM Katz social media post depicting toddler Erdogan

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‘Psychological operation’: Turkey condemns FM Katz social media post depicting toddler Erdogan



Turkey’s Foreign Affairs Ministry released a statement on Sunday condemning a social media post made by Foreign Minister Israel Katz, in which Katz presented Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan as a toddler on the lap of Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. 

Katz, in a Sunday post on X, wrote “Erdogan @RTErdogan finances and arms terrorist organizations of Hamas to carry out attacks and murder against Israelis. The General Security Service captured a squad of students from Bir Zeit who were employed by the Hamas headquarters in Turkey to carry out murder attacks in Israel, through training and weapons and tens of thousands of dollars provided to them.

“Erdogan turned Turkey into a state that supports terrorism and subjects Turkey to the Iranian axis of evil in the name of extreme ideology and blatant anti-Semitism.”

Katz’s comments were made in reference to a recently thwarted terror attack planned by the student Hamas cell in Bir Zeit University, north of Ramallah. The attempted attack, the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) said, was directed by Hamas’s base in Turkey. 

TURKEY’S PRESIDENT Recep Tayyip Erdogan meets with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, in Istanbul, earlier this month. Reports in the media suggested that this meeting was the result of a breakdown in relations between Hamas and Qatar. (credit: Turkish Presidential Press Office/Reuters)

Turkey condemns the social media post

The Turkish ministry responded “The Israeli Foreign Minister is trying to hide Israel’s crimes against the Palestinians behind a series of lies, slander and disrespect.

“Israel’s dirty propaganda targeting Türkiye and President Erdoğan, and psychological operation attempts will not bear fruit.

“The members of the Netanyahu Government, who have killed nearly forty thousand Palestinians in Gaza and are now trying to start a regional war in order to stay in power, will be tried in international courts and held accountable for their crimes.

“Türkiye will continue to speak the truth and defend the right of the Palestinian people to live in justice and peace.”

The ministry cited data provided by the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians. 

Additionally, Turkey has repeatedly asserted that it does not categorize Hamas as a terrorist organization – despite its western allies acknowledging it as such and its proven attacks on Israeli civilians. 





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