Lack of moderates among Palestinian Islamo-Arabs [Sodom?] - forced humane Israel into a dangerous hostage deal
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Pastelli
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As 3 hostages are released from Islamofascist "palestine" hell:
Praising the LORD / Bible verses by Israeli government
- PM Bibi Netanyahu, PMO:
- Chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee, MK Yuli Edelstein on the release of the abductees Rumi, Doron and Emily from the hands of the Hamas terrorist organization: "To turn the hourglass from one big nightmare into one big rehabilitation." These words of Eitan Gonen, Romi's father, sum up the task of all of us now. To return everyone and all of them home and to restore the lives of the abductees, the families and the entire Israeli society. We will not give up on achieving the goals of the war and overthrowing the rule of the terrorist organization Hamas, so that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel. [Shehechiyanu]. "Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the Universe, who has granted us life, sustained us and enabled us to reach this occasion."
- Shas Chairman Aryeh Deri said (from Psalm):
"Together with all the people of Israel, I am excited to see Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbracher and Emily Demari - three of our sisters who were brutally kidnapped on October 7 by Hamas terrorists, get to return home today, after 471 days!". He also said: "I wish them to be reunited with their families soon in good health, and I pray for the release of all the abductees - that life will return to the bosom of their families, and that the dead will be brought to the Kever-Yisrael [Jewish burial] with dignity. The State of Israel is obligated to return everyone home with God's help, this is our moral and Jewish duty!" - Defense Minister Israel Katz said: "Romi, Doron and Emily returned home. This is a moment of hope for an entire nation that now embraces them and their families in their hearts. I salute the soldiers of the IDF, the security system and all those who worked with devotion to return them to the bosom of their families.
- State President Yitzhak Herzog (after he prayed by the Wailing Wall "May the Almighty have mercy on the hostages".
- Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich wrote: "Emily, Doron and Romi, welcome home! My heart goes out to you, our dear sisters! An entire nation is proud of you, tears with you, and hugs you endlessly!".
- The chairman of Torah Judaism, Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf wrote (from Isaiah):
- Minister Yoav Ben Tzur wrote (from Jeremiah):
"Between despair and hope, between weakness and strength, an entire country clinging to faith." After 471 days of uncertainty and immense anxiety for the fate of the abductees, we brought Romi, Doron and Emily home with tears of joy. The State of Israel is obliged to act in every way to return the abductees to their families. We will not give up on anyone, this is our commitment, of all of us. The Damari family, Gonen and Steinbracher, an entire country embraces and strengthens you, sorry that we failed to protect them, that we were not able to return them faster.
- Minister of Communications Dr. Shlomo Karai said: "Blessed is He who releases the bound!" Romi, Doron and Emily returned home.
- Chairman of the Noam Party, Deputy Minister Avi Maoz wrote: "Happy and moved to tears along with the whole House of Israel at the sight of the abductees returning home. Accompanying the joy is a feeling of pain and shame for the fact that after 15 months of fighting the cruel enemy is standing on his feet and did not go down on his knees.
- Member of the Knesset Keti Shitrit wrote:
"The return of Romi, Doron and Emily, refines the soul and uplifts the spirit. I salute the soldiers of the IDF and the security forces, who in the war of resurrection, made their return possible. The State of Israel is committed to repatriating all of the abductees, and will do everything to bring the living to the bosom of their families and the dead to Jewish burial.
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Sayaras
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Palestinian Authority: Hamas disguised as civilians caused civilian deaths and destruction of Gaza.
PA: Hamas only wears uniforms for show during ceasefire.
January 23, 2025
palwatch.org
PA: Hamas only wears uniforms for show during ceasefire.
January 23, 2025
Palestinian Authority: Hamas disguised as civilians caused civilian deaths and destruction of Gaza | PMW Analysis
PA: Hamas only wears uniforms for show during ceasefire
palwatch.org
Pastelli
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Netanyahu: ‘Hamas are the new Nazis’.
"The core of new antisemitism is the attempt to ... undermine [Israel's] right to self-defense," Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said.
JNS Staff.
(Jan. 27, 2025 / JNS).
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday called on the “civilized” world to up its effort to combat Jew-hatred, while labeling the Hamas terror group the “new Nazis.”
“On International Holocaust Remembrance Day, I call on all civilized nations to confront antisemitism wherever it appears—on college campuses, city streets or international forums like the [International Criminal Court],” Netanyahu tweeted.
“Founded in the shadow of the Holocaust, the ICC has disgraced itself with antisemitic attacks on Israel. Hamas are the new Nazis, and we are committed to defeating them once and for all. The Jewish state will always stand as a safe haven for Jews worldwide. #NeverAgainIsNow.”
In November, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over their roles in prosecuting the war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The ICC does not have jurisdiction over Israel. However, the court’s chief prosecutor Karim Khan, who is under investigation for sexual misconduct, insisted that he has jurisdiction over the country.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar similarly weighed in on Monday, tweeting: “Today we mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day, in memory of the six million Jews who were murdered in the Holocaust. Throughout 2,000 years of exile, including during the Holocaust, the Jewish people did not have the means to protect themselves.
“The Zionist revolution restored the Jewish people the ability to protect themselves,” continued Jerusalem’s top diplomat. “The core of new antisemitism is the attempt to delegitimize the Jewish state’s right to exist and to undermine its right to self-defense.
“The purpose of the different proceedings in the ‘international legal institutions’ is an attempt to remove Israel’s basic right to self-defense.
We will never relinquish our right and ability to defend ourselves!
Never again is now!”
www.jns.org
"The core of new antisemitism is the attempt to ... undermine [Israel's] right to self-defense," Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said.
JNS Staff.
(Jan. 27, 2025 / JNS).
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday called on the “civilized” world to up its effort to combat Jew-hatred, while labeling the Hamas terror group the “new Nazis.”
“On International Holocaust Remembrance Day, I call on all civilized nations to confront antisemitism wherever it appears—on college campuses, city streets or international forums like the [International Criminal Court],” Netanyahu tweeted.
“Founded in the shadow of the Holocaust, the ICC has disgraced itself with antisemitic attacks on Israel. Hamas are the new Nazis, and we are committed to defeating them once and for all. The Jewish state will always stand as a safe haven for Jews worldwide. #NeverAgainIsNow.”
In November, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over their roles in prosecuting the war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The ICC does not have jurisdiction over Israel. However, the court’s chief prosecutor Karim Khan, who is under investigation for sexual misconduct, insisted that he has jurisdiction over the country.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar similarly weighed in on Monday, tweeting: “Today we mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day, in memory of the six million Jews who were murdered in the Holocaust. Throughout 2,000 years of exile, including during the Holocaust, the Jewish people did not have the means to protect themselves.
“The Zionist revolution restored the Jewish people the ability to protect themselves,” continued Jerusalem’s top diplomat. “The core of new antisemitism is the attempt to delegitimize the Jewish state’s right to exist and to undermine its right to self-defense.
“The purpose of the different proceedings in the ‘international legal institutions’ is an attempt to remove Israel’s basic right to self-defense.
We will never relinquish our right and ability to defend ourselves!
Never again is now!”
Netanyahu: ‘Hamas are the new Nazis'
"The core of new antisemitism is the attempt to ... undermine [Israel's] right to self-defense," Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said.
www.jns.org
Pastelli
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Liri Albag: 'There are 2 million terrorists in Gaza'.
Hamas demanded hostages talk on stage before their release; they chose to show hand signs of victory. 'I would say one sentence in Arabic: ‘My name is Liri Albag, I am number one.'
Israel National News. Jan 27, 2025, 12:40 PM (GMT+2)
He said that Liri spoke about the hostile attitude of the Gaza residents after the October 7th massacre and during the entire war, “Liri told me ..
"Remember that, there are two million terrorists there. I was sitting with an 8-year-old boy and 4-year-old boys, who would spit at the mention of Jews. Do you understand what that means? Does anyone understand what that means? So what are they talking about? About Sinwar who was released? They could have eliminated him a thousand times; not a thousand, but two thousand times, and all of Hamas as well, who were going on a rampage and did what they wanted even before October 7th. They could have crushed Hamas just as they crushed Hezbollah," Albag repeated Liri’s understanding.
Albag also commented on the girls’ release ceremony, "The four were put on stage and the Hamas terrorists demanded that the girls speak but they responded saying, 'Not only will we not talk – we will show a display of victory and disrupt the whole show.' As soon as the girls held up their hands, the terrorists took them off the stage. When Liri spoke to me, she said, 'Dad, I used to say one sentence in Arabic: ‘My name is Liri Albag, I am number one.'"
Hamas demanded hostages talk on stage before their release; they chose to show hand signs of victory. 'I would say one sentence in Arabic: ‘My name is Liri Albag, I am number one.'
Israel National News. Jan 27, 2025, 12:40 PM (GMT+2)
He said that Liri spoke about the hostile attitude of the Gaza residents after the October 7th massacre and during the entire war, “Liri told me ..
"Remember that, there are two million terrorists there. I was sitting with an 8-year-old boy and 4-year-old boys, who would spit at the mention of Jews. Do you understand what that means? Does anyone understand what that means? So what are they talking about? About Sinwar who was released? They could have eliminated him a thousand times; not a thousand, but two thousand times, and all of Hamas as well, who were going on a rampage and did what they wanted even before October 7th. They could have crushed Hamas just as they crushed Hezbollah," Albag repeated Liri’s understanding.
Albag also commented on the girls’ release ceremony, "The four were put on stage and the Hamas terrorists demanded that the girls speak but they responded saying, 'Not only will we not talk – we will show a display of victory and disrupt the whole show.' As soon as the girls held up their hands, the terrorists took them off the stage. When Liri spoke to me, she said, 'Dad, I used to say one sentence in Arabic: ‘My name is Liri Albag, I am number one.'"
Rigby5
Diamond Member
That is about the most uninformed nonsense I ever read.
Obviously the Palestinians invited the Euro Jewish refugees in 1920 and had no animosity towards them.
The violence all started when Menachim Begin murdered the British peacekeeper by blowing up the King David Hotel.
He did this so no one could stop his gangs, like Irgun, Stern, and Lehi, from massacring hundreds of native villages like Deir Yassin.
This is well documented since Albert Einstein happened to have been invited to Jerusalem and a witness the brutal executions of women and children by Menachim Begin's gangs.
The Palestinian native have never been violent or had any significant arms, so have been murdered, imprisoned, exiles, had their homes stolen, etc., for over 70 years now.
Israel illegally occupied over 85% of Palestine.
Hamas now is more than justified in whatever retribution they can accomplish.
Rigby5
Diamond Member
Netanyahu: ‘Hamas are the new Nazis’.
"The core of new antisemitism is the attempt to ... undermine [Israel's] right to self-defense," Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said.
JNS Staff.
(Jan. 27, 2025 / JNS).
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday called on the “civilized” world to up its effort to combat Jew-hatred, while labeling the Hamas terror group the “new Nazis.”
“On International Holocaust Remembrance Day, I call on all civilized nations to confront antisemitism wherever it appears—on college campuses, city streets or international forums like the [International Criminal Court],” Netanyahu tweeted.
“Founded in the shadow of the Holocaust, the ICC has disgraced itself with antisemitic attacks on Israel. Hamas are the new Nazis, and we are committed to defeating them once and for all. The Jewish state will always stand as a safe haven for Jews worldwide. #NeverAgainIsNow.”
In November, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over their roles in prosecuting the war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The ICC does not have jurisdiction over Israel. However, the court’s chief prosecutor Karim Khan, who is under investigation for sexual misconduct, insisted that he has jurisdiction over the country.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar similarly weighed in on Monday, tweeting: “Today we mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day, in memory of the six million Jews who were murdered in the Holocaust. Throughout 2,000 years of exile, including during the Holocaust, the Jewish people did not have the means to protect themselves.
“The Zionist revolution restored the Jewish people the ability to protect themselves,” continued Jerusalem’s top diplomat. “The core of new antisemitism is the attempt to delegitimize the Jewish state’s right to exist and to undermine its right to self-defense.
“The purpose of the different proceedings in the ‘international legal institutions’ is an attempt to remove Israel’s basic right to self-defense.
We will never relinquish our right and ability to defend ourselves!
Never again is now!”
Netanyahu: ‘Hamas are the new Nazis'
"The core of new antisemitism is the attempt to ... undermine [Israel's] right to self-defense," Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said.
That is incredibly ignorant.
Hamas is the legally and democratically elected government by the 13 million Palestinian natives,
Netanyahu is an illegal immigrant whose heritage is Polish, from Warsaw, and is a dictator supported by only 6 million illegal immigrants.
Netanyahu obviously is guilty of stealing 85% of Palestine from the legal owners.
He is illegally starving the Palestinians with a blockade.
Rigby5
Diamond Member
Israel is totally illegal and fake.
Real Jews know we are supposed to following the Diaspora Decree and be atoning for the sins of arrogance and pride.
Israel dishonors 2000 years of faithful atonement.
Real Jews know we are supposed to following the Diaspora Decree and be atoning for the sins of arrogance and pride.
Israel dishonors 2000 years of faithful atonement.
ShahdagMountains
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- Jan 16, 2012
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There are no moderates. Even the kids.
Pastelli
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- #32
Hostage release chaos highlights deep-rooted hatred in Gaza
Opinion: Gazans continue to shout 'Allahu Akbar' even now because the hostages are a footnote in a centuries-old system of unbridled hatred toward the Jewish people
Amichai Attali|01.30.25 |For those who are confused or suffering from amnesia, take a close look at the scenes from Gaza. Once again, the Gazan crowd has reminded us of its nature, uncontrollable impulses and priorities.
Sadly, the number of uninvolved civilians in Gaza is negligible, if any, and the images from the Strip are just more proof of that. Whenever given the chance to attack a Jew — or better yet, murder one — they take it.
2 View gallery
Hamas terrorists during hostage transfer on Thursday
(Photo: AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
I've seen Gazans up close during long months of reserve duty. While I was near the terrorists among them, I learned from their words about the broader mentality, worldview and social norms. This question preoccupied me: What drives them socially? What are their motivations?
After all, if they had chosen a different path, they could have had much better lives. The answers are grim, but one of the lessons of October 7 is that even harsh truths must be spoken. They can no longer be swept under the rug — otherwise, they'll ambush us from under there, riding on trucks packed with gunmen.
Why is it that when a terrified Arbel Yehoud walks among armed mobs, the shouts erupt: "Allahu Akbar"? They're not rejoicing over a cease-fire that should ease their dire material conditions. They're not even celebrating the release of senior terrorists under the deal.
That religious chant points to the heart of the matter: They shout "Allahu Akbar" because Arbel is just a footnote in a centuries-old system of unbridled hatred toward the Jewish people.
Former hostage Arbel Yehoud during her release
This understanding must shape our entire approach to the Gazan enemy — our strategy and tactics in war. The truth is their hatred is ingrained. If we don't internalize this, we waste our time, endanger our children's lives and doom ourselves to endless frustration. If we don't realize this, we have no place in the Middle East.
The harsh reality is that this is a religious war — not a conflict over land or resources. It's a battle of good versus evil and anyone deluding themselves otherwise will not survive here. This is pure, generational hatred, from the days of Muhammad to the modern disciples of Mohammed Deif.
The Gazans aren’t interested in rebuilding their territory but in fulfilling what they see as a divine command: to kill, harm, destroy and bring suffering and death to us, the "infidels."
For those of us who understand the enemy — or have woken up to reality since the war — the mission is clear: we must pressure both our political and military leadership to pursue our enemies relentlessly. As many as possible should be expelled under international auspices and those who remain must face constant pressure until they change.
There's only one solution: keep winning. Nations can change — it happened in history to those who persecuted our ancestors, it happened to the Japanese and it happened to the Germans. The answer is to keep striking our enemy while taking full control of Gaza, including all governing systems.
We will have to take over the enclave's education system and ensure that a reeducation process begins — what was once called "denazification" must become "de-jihadization."
Maybe, generations from now, the remaining Gazans will be fit to govern themselves — but only after they've undergone a profound, total transformation. Until then, we must hold the reins. Otherwise, we won’t survive here.
Hostage release chaos highlights deep-rooted hatred in Gaza
Opinion: Gazans continue to shout 'Allahu Akbar' even now because the hostages are a footnote in a centuries-old system of unbridled hatred toward the Jewish people
www.ynetnews.com
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Pastelli
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They kidnap and kill, we return and save
Walla! | 2.1.25 | Tzachi Koma, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Walla.
They kidnap and kill, we return and save Opinion column - Walla News.
Liri Elbag's line after 477 days in hell - says it all. Tzachi Koma. 2.1.2025
These deals are a moral test that proves our essence as a people. The dilemma is always difficult - but we always choose life. The price of returning the kidnapped is the human test of us all.
In recent days, after long months of anxiety, despair, and deceptive hope, our hearts have experienced an incomparable shock. More and more abductees are returning, broken but alive, from a reality whose horror there are no words to contain. We have seen tender children accustomed to life in tunnels, fathers and mothers who have returned to a reality that does not look like the one they left, and teenagers trying to understand how the world went on without them.
And in the face of excitement, there is also pain. Because the price is heavy and almost unimaginable, because our blood is still hot. Because we know that the scum we are releasing will return to murder, burn, and slaughter. The feeling of bereaved families watching the murderers of their loved ones get out of prison - all of these are part of the painful reality that accompanies every such transaction. Because with a choked throat, we look into the eyes of families and see there also the lack of understanding - how could we do this again.
When I watched the coverage of Keith Segal, Ofer Calderon and Yarden Bibs returning home this morning, I felt the joy, but again, also the confusion. How is it possible that there are people who look into the eyes of those families, who saw their loved ones broken and returned, and say - "This is not the time, let them stay there until we win"? I understand the desire to fight for deterrence, but when leaders question the right of the kidnapped to return home, I can't help but ask: What are we actually doing here? A war until the end? Until when? As long as people's lives are measured by a cold military balance, we are losing the most important thing - our humanity. "The unity and hope that we have scares all our enemies, amazes all our lovers and comforts the people among us," said Liri Elbag, who returned home after 477 days in the hell of Hamas - and in doing so, she said it all.
When I hear the voices that oppose the release, it feels like an attempt to mask personal pain behind political clichés. They will remain captive, and the war will continue - is that the solution? Even if we win the war, will we also win ourselves? Prices like these don't buy any more time.
Not when it comes to people's lives, and certainly not when it's us who are clearing the way for liberation - and not them. I don't want to be part of a country that weighs every life based on political expediency. I'm tired of receiving the explanations about how "the deal is wrong." What's annoying is not just these opinions, but the feeling that someone up there thinks that the lives of our citizens are not worth enough. We don't need explanations. We need decisions, now.
I fully understand the hesitation, the divided opinions, the difficulty of those who feel that these concessions harm deterrence. This is not a simple dilemma, and there is no perfect answer. But in all of this, I return to the starting point: the State of Israel is a country that sanctifies life, that is willing to pay painful prices to bring its children home. Even if it's not always convenient, even if it hurts - that's who we are.
This is the essence of being Israeli. The State of Israel is a country that sanctifies life - and this is not a cliché. It is our moral, unquestionable duty to bring our children home. Our duty to the missing, our duty to the families, our duty to ourselves.
We cannot continue to look into the eyes of mothers and fathers, of families, of friends of kidnapped men and women, and tell them with a cold heart - they will continue to suffer there and probably die, the continuation of the war is more important? How can we sit on the sidelines and tell them that the price of deterrence is more important than the lives of their loved ones? And if we are afraid of another October 7, what does that say about us? Does that mean that lessons have not been learned? Does that mean that we do not know how to protect citizens next time? And if we release terrorists, then what? The state will not be able to guarantee us the simplest security? So what do we actually have left if not life itself?
Yes, we will continue to fight terrorism. Yes, we will continue to fight for the righteousness of our path. But on the battlefield of morality - we are winning. Because in this deal, as in its predecessors, we prove time and time again that we are a country that is willing to pay a price, however heavy, to bring its sons home. Because in the end, there is a heavier price. The price of a society that becomes indifferent, the price of a country that abandons the obligation to return its citizens, the price of a people that forgets that above all else - we are here together and we do not have the privilege to forget that.
We do not leave soldiers behind. We do not forget for a moment civilians in captivity. We are not a people who hold hands. We can argue about the path, we can agonize over the price, but we cannot forget the foundation that has kept us here for more than 75 years: mutual guarantee.
We are not like them, and we will never be like them. They kidnap, rape, murder babies, abuse, destroy families without a trace of remorse. They hold small children in dark tunnels, leave mothers without answers, plant fear and despair in whole hearts. They see life as a bargaining chip, a weapon, a political card. And us? We act differently. We return our kidnapped ones, because every soldier and citizen is as precious to us as a family member. We are willing to pay heavy prices, because for us - every life is worth the world.
And as always, our light will prevail over their darkness. They tried to break us apart, but they only strengthened us. They tried to make us cynical, merciless - and we choose love. They tried to extinguish hope, and we prove, again and again, that there is no power in the world that can truly break us.
It is precisely from the pain, from the darkness, that we carry the torch that lights our path. We are a people who build, who grow hope from ashes, who know how to grieve, but also to get up and walk forward. The abductees who are returning now are going through a private hell, but behind them stands a whole people who will support, heal, and embrace unconditionally. We leave no one behind, because that is who we are.
Whoever thought that the horror of October 7 would tear us apart was wrong. Yes, we have been through an unparalleled rupture. Yes, we bear a wound that will not heal. But precisely in the moments when it seems that darkness is winning, we need to remember what truly makes us one people: the promise that we will not leave them there alone. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever. We will not rest until the last of the kidnapped returns home.
Today, when three more kidnapped people have returned to us from hell, we both cry and smile. We are in pain, but also proud. Because in the real test - the test of humanity - we win.
The writer: Tzachi Koma, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Walla.
Walla! | 2.1.25 | Tzachi Koma, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Walla.
They kidnap and kill, we return and save Opinion column - Walla News.
Liri Elbag's line after 477 days in hell - says it all. Tzachi Koma. 2.1.2025
These deals are a moral test that proves our essence as a people. The dilemma is always difficult - but we always choose life. The price of returning the kidnapped is the human test of us all.
In recent days, after long months of anxiety, despair, and deceptive hope, our hearts have experienced an incomparable shock. More and more abductees are returning, broken but alive, from a reality whose horror there are no words to contain. We have seen tender children accustomed to life in tunnels, fathers and mothers who have returned to a reality that does not look like the one they left, and teenagers trying to understand how the world went on without them.
And in the face of excitement, there is also pain. Because the price is heavy and almost unimaginable, because our blood is still hot. Because we know that the scum we are releasing will return to murder, burn, and slaughter. The feeling of bereaved families watching the murderers of their loved ones get out of prison - all of these are part of the painful reality that accompanies every such transaction. Because with a choked throat, we look into the eyes of families and see there also the lack of understanding - how could we do this again.
When I watched the coverage of Keith Segal, Ofer Calderon and Yarden Bibs returning home this morning, I felt the joy, but again, also the confusion. How is it possible that there are people who look into the eyes of those families, who saw their loved ones broken and returned, and say - "This is not the time, let them stay there until we win"? I understand the desire to fight for deterrence, but when leaders question the right of the kidnapped to return home, I can't help but ask: What are we actually doing here? A war until the end? Until when? As long as people's lives are measured by a cold military balance, we are losing the most important thing - our humanity. "The unity and hope that we have scares all our enemies, amazes all our lovers and comforts the people among us," said Liri Elbag, who returned home after 477 days in the hell of Hamas - and in doing so, she said it all.
When I hear the voices that oppose the release, it feels like an attempt to mask personal pain behind political clichés. They will remain captive, and the war will continue - is that the solution? Even if we win the war, will we also win ourselves? Prices like these don't buy any more time.
Not when it comes to people's lives, and certainly not when it's us who are clearing the way for liberation - and not them. I don't want to be part of a country that weighs every life based on political expediency. I'm tired of receiving the explanations about how "the deal is wrong." What's annoying is not just these opinions, but the feeling that someone up there thinks that the lives of our citizens are not worth enough. We don't need explanations. We need decisions, now.
I fully understand the hesitation, the divided opinions, the difficulty of those who feel that these concessions harm deterrence. This is not a simple dilemma, and there is no perfect answer. But in all of this, I return to the starting point: the State of Israel is a country that sanctifies life, that is willing to pay painful prices to bring its children home. Even if it's not always convenient, even if it hurts - that's who we are.
This is the essence of being Israeli. The State of Israel is a country that sanctifies life - and this is not a cliché. It is our moral, unquestionable duty to bring our children home. Our duty to the missing, our duty to the families, our duty to ourselves.
We cannot continue to look into the eyes of mothers and fathers, of families, of friends of kidnapped men and women, and tell them with a cold heart - they will continue to suffer there and probably die, the continuation of the war is more important? How can we sit on the sidelines and tell them that the price of deterrence is more important than the lives of their loved ones? And if we are afraid of another October 7, what does that say about us? Does that mean that lessons have not been learned? Does that mean that we do not know how to protect citizens next time? And if we release terrorists, then what? The state will not be able to guarantee us the simplest security? So what do we actually have left if not life itself?
Yes, we will continue to fight terrorism. Yes, we will continue to fight for the righteousness of our path. But on the battlefield of morality - we are winning. Because in this deal, as in its predecessors, we prove time and time again that we are a country that is willing to pay a price, however heavy, to bring its sons home. Because in the end, there is a heavier price. The price of a society that becomes indifferent, the price of a country that abandons the obligation to return its citizens, the price of a people that forgets that above all else - we are here together and we do not have the privilege to forget that.
We do not leave soldiers behind. We do not forget for a moment civilians in captivity. We are not a people who hold hands. We can argue about the path, we can agonize over the price, but we cannot forget the foundation that has kept us here for more than 75 years: mutual guarantee.
We are not like them, and we will never be like them. They kidnap, rape, murder babies, abuse, destroy families without a trace of remorse. They hold small children in dark tunnels, leave mothers without answers, plant fear and despair in whole hearts. They see life as a bargaining chip, a weapon, a political card. And us? We act differently. We return our kidnapped ones, because every soldier and citizen is as precious to us as a family member. We are willing to pay heavy prices, because for us - every life is worth the world.
And as always, our light will prevail over their darkness. They tried to break us apart, but they only strengthened us. They tried to make us cynical, merciless - and we choose love. They tried to extinguish hope, and we prove, again and again, that there is no power in the world that can truly break us.
It is precisely from the pain, from the darkness, that we carry the torch that lights our path. We are a people who build, who grow hope from ashes, who know how to grieve, but also to get up and walk forward. The abductees who are returning now are going through a private hell, but behind them stands a whole people who will support, heal, and embrace unconditionally. We leave no one behind, because that is who we are.
Whoever thought that the horror of October 7 would tear us apart was wrong. Yes, we have been through an unparalleled rupture. Yes, we bear a wound that will not heal. But precisely in the moments when it seems that darkness is winning, we need to remember what truly makes us one people: the promise that we will not leave them there alone. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever. We will not rest until the last of the kidnapped returns home.
Today, when three more kidnapped people have returned to us from hell, we both cry and smile. We are in pain, but also proud. Because in the real test - the test of humanity - we win.
The writer: Tzachi Koma, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Walla.
ShahdagMountains
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Hostage release chaos highlights deep-rooted hatred in Gaza
Opinion: Gazans continue to shout 'Allahu Akbar' even now because the hostages are a footnote in a centuries-old system of unbridled hatred toward the Jewish people
Amichai Attali|01.30.25 |
For those who are confused or suffering from amnesia, take a close look at the scenes from Gaza. Once again, the Gazan crowd has reminded us of its nature, uncontrollable impulses and priorities.
Sadly, the number of uninvolved civilians in Gaza is negligible, if any, and the images from the Strip are just more proof of that. Whenever given the chance to attack a Jew — or better yet, murder one — they take it.
2 View gallery
Hamas terrorists during hostage transfer on Thursday
(Photo: AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
I've seen Gazans up close during long months of reserve duty. While I was near the terrorists among them, I learned from their words about the broader mentality, worldview and social norms. This question preoccupied me: What drives them socially? What are their motivations?
After all, if they had chosen a different path, they could have had much better lives. The answers are grim, but one of the lessons of October 7 is that even harsh truths must be spoken. They can no longer be swept under the rug — otherwise, they'll ambush us from under there, riding on trucks packed with gunmen.
Why is it that when a terrified Arbel Yehoud walks among armed mobs, the shouts erupt: "Allahu Akbar"? They're not rejoicing over a cease-fire that should ease their dire material conditions. They're not even celebrating the release of senior terrorists under the deal.
That religious chant points to the heart of the matter: They shout "Allahu Akbar" because Arbel is just a footnote in a centuries-old system of unbridled hatred toward the Jewish people.
Former hostage Arbel Yehoud during her release
This understanding must shape our entire approach to the Gazan enemy — our strategy and tactics in war. The truth is their hatred is ingrained. If we don't internalize this, we waste our time, endanger our children's lives and doom ourselves to endless frustration. If we don't realize this, we have no place in the Middle East.
The harsh reality is that this is a religious war — not a conflict over land or resources. It's a battle of good versus evil and anyone deluding themselves otherwise will not survive here. This is pure, generational hatred, from the days of Muhammad to the modern disciples of Mohammed Deif.
The Gazans aren’t interested in rebuilding their territory but in fulfilling what they see as a divine command: to kill, harm, destroy and bring suffering and death to us, the "infidels."
For those of us who understand the enemy — or have woken up to reality since the war — the mission is clear: we must pressure both our political and military leadership to pursue our enemies relentlessly. As many as possible should be expelled under international auspices and those who remain must face constant pressure until they change.
There's only one solution: keep winning. Nations can change — it happened in history to those who persecuted our ancestors, it happened to the Japanese and it happened to the Germans. The answer is to keep striking our enemy while taking full control of Gaza, including all governing systems.
We will have to take over the enclave's education system and ensure that a reeducation process begins — what was once called "denazification" must become "de-jihadization."
Maybe, generations from now, the remaining Gazans will be fit to govern themselves — but only after they've undergone a profound, total transformation. Until then, we must hold the reins. Otherwise, we won’t survive here.
Hostage release chaos highlights deep-rooted hatred in Gaza
Opinion: Gazans continue to shout 'Allahu Akbar' even now because the hostages are a footnote in a centuries-old system of unbridled hatred toward the Jewish people
Chilling reminder of the awful past, with that picture of Arbel Yehoud.
ShahdagMountains
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Sayaras
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Yes
Sayaras
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Pretty much so
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