Sunday saw the return of the first of the October 7 hostages who were promised to be released under the new ceasefire agreement. It was a time for joy and celebration, which was felt through all the cities and towns of Israel. However, it was a muted rejoicing for a couple of reasons. First, there are dozens more who are still being held captive by the Gazan terrorists. Second, we haven’t forgotten what started this whole horror. There is no gratitude felt toward Hamas for giving us back what rightly belongs to our nation. There is no recognition of mercy, no outpouring of thanksgiving. If someone steals my car, should I be thankful when they return it, dented and chipped? How much less so when we’re talking about the theft of people?
Yesterday on the Anchor Podcast, I spoke with Rafaela Treistman, a young survivor of the October 7 Nova festival. Her experience sheltering in a bunker while 30 of the 40 people around her were slaughtered is one that must be heard. It serves as the balance to the happiness of the returned hostages. It represents the tainted soil from which all ceasefire emotions must grow. It is reality. And it must be heard, because too many people are forgetting the depth of the murderous depravity that Hamas meted out on innocents that infamous fall morning.
What you’ll see in Rafaela’s story is a woman who was deeply wounded by what she experienced and who she lost. But she was not broken. Her tale is an Israeli tale; one that’s been told over and over from early in our people’s existence. You may try to take us out, but you will only succeed in knocking us down. We will get up back up wiser and stronger. And when we do, it’s best you run and hide, because Israel never forgets.
The Hostage Release and the Ceasefire
There were tears in the eyes of most Israelis on Sunday as we watched the return of three of our daughters. Four-hundred-and-seventy-one days ago, Romi Gonen (24) was shot and kidnapped from the Nova festival, Doron Steinbrecher (31) was snatched away from her home in Kfar Aza, and Emily Damari (28) was also stolen from her home in Kfar Aza, having two of her fingers blown off by a terrorist bullet in the process. Let that number sink in – 471 days. Picture where you were back in October 2023 and what all has happened since then. For these women, and for all the hostages, life was put on hold as they were transferred from one location to another by people who hated their very existence. Two of them spent time stashed away under guard in an apartment and another was hidden deep in the tunnels. Now begins their journey of healing, which will likely be a life-long process.
In return for our three hostages, Israel transferred 90 Palestinian prisoners. Make sure you recognize the two differing descriptors. In return for our three stolen innocent civilians, we released 90 criminals. Those are the kinds of bargains you are forced to swallow once you begin making deals with terrorists.
This Saturday, four more hostages will be turned over, along with the full list on Friday of the 33 names who will be part of the first phase of returns. Over the course of this ceasefire and hostage exchange, this twisted math will continue until freedom reaches nearly 1900 Palestinian criminals in return for just 33 of our kidnapping victims. Yes, we rejoice in the homecoming of our people, but we are appalled at the price that we are forced to pay.
As far as the ceasefire, it has begun and the IDF is slowly pulling out. However, there are few who expect Hamas to be able to control themselves over the six weeks of this first phase. If and when Hamas breaks the treaty, they will experience the full and final wrath of the IDF. President Donald Trump has promised that the United States will support whatever measures Israel takes, one hundred percent.
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