Robert Spencer, director of Jihad Watch, posed a question recently with regard to the behavior of Hamas: “Are you really surprised?”
His point, of course, is that we should not be surprised by what Hamas did to the Bibas family, because Hamas had already demonstrated its depravity on October 7.
The very marvelous commentator Erin Molin speaks to this depravity in the short video below. (Warning she describes graphically some of the atrocities of October 7.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jg8hTFDr3z8
And yet, we are surprised (or perhaps, more accurately, shocked), because it is difficult for those of us with a sense of decency and humanity to wrap our heads around the pure evil of Hamas behavior.
But it is exceedingly important to recognize that pure evil for what it is and to know with certainty that we must eliminate it.
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I wrote in my last posting about the way in which the Bibas boys were murdered and the obscene way in which Hamas behaved in handing over their bodies. I wrote as well about the voices that were raised in horrified condemnation of their behavior.
And yet, there are those who equivocate even now about the evil of Hamas, and this, too, I find incomprehensible. Why cover for it, minimize it, rationalize it? Is this about money, expected perks? A very distorted political allegiance? What?
Case in point: The Associated Press (AP), which said that the Bibas boys “died in captivity” and referred to the terrorists as “militants.”
https://www.jns.org/associated-press-slammed-for-saying-bibas-kids-their-mother-died-in-captivity/
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Today was a day of mourning for our nation, as Shiri Bibas and her two boys, Ariel and Kfir, were laid to rest in a cemetery in the community of Tsoher, not far from Kibbutz Nir Oz, where the family had lived.
The funeral itself was a private affair, although eulogies were broadcast live. The family publicized the route that would be taken by the funeral procession – a matter of some 60 kilometers – so that people would be able to come out and pay their last respects.
And indeed, people came by the thousands, many with Israeli flags, some singing Hatikvah, some crying, to honor the deceased as they passed.
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Yarden Bibas – who is only out of horrendous Hamas captivity himself for a matter of weeks – had put out a message prior to the funeral expressing his gratitude to all those who have provided support and expressed concern. It has sustained him, he said.
At the funeral, he spoke with great emotion. Addressing his wife:
“Mi Amor. I remember the first time I said ‘mi amor‘ to you. It was at the very beginning of our relationship. You told me to only call you mi amor if I was certain I loved you, not to say it carelessly. I didn’t say it then because I didn’t want you to think I was rushing to say, ‘I love you.’ Shiri, I’ll confess to you now that I already loved you back then when I said ‘mi amor.’
“Shiri, I love you and will always love you! Shiri, you are everything to me! You are the best wife and mother there could be. Shiri, you are my best friend…
“Protect me from myself. Protect me so I don’t sink into darkness. Shiri, please watch over me.”
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-843822
The heart aches for this. The process will be very slow and painful, but this days represents a closure for Yarden, and we need to pray for his healing.
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And here we Israelis are, poised on a knife edge, seeking to balance two inimical actions, each of which cries to us with great urgency.
Learning of the inhumanity with which the Bibas boys were treated and hearing the testimonies of those recently released – the starvation and torture and darkness – increases the sense of urgency with regard to bringing home all those, at least all those still alive, who remain captive in Gaza. There are perhaps 24 such persons captive, some reportedly seriously ill.
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On the other hand, the necessity to move on eliminating Hamas looms large before us. Disturbing news is surfacing about the degree to which Hamas is utilizing the time of this ceasefire to strengthen itself.
As part of the current ceasefire deal, Israel has been required to allow into Gaza additional trucks carrying “humanitarian” supplies, including fuel and some heavy equipment. The goal is 600 trucks daily.
Hamas is seizing a good part of these supplies and storing it in tunnels.
Additionally, there are reports such as this:
“…Hamas has distributed fliers calling to teach inexperienced terrorists how to use weapons in case fighting breaks out.
“Hamas has begun mapping its new positions, where it will station terrorists if the fighting restarts. The terror group has also begun repairing tunnels damaged by IDF operations.”
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/404534
No, we certainly should not be surprised by this. But we should be disturbed – for the longer we wait to go back in, the more difficult the fight will be and the more our boys will be at risk.
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It is obvious that our Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Security Cabinet are ready to delay that final attack into Gaza in the hopes of securing more hostages.
Talk of getting everyone out is not realistic, however, because this could only be accomplished if there were a full and final capitulation by Israel, with the IDF pulling out totally and finally. Israel will not agree to this, and even if we did, we might not secure everyone. Hamas uses hostages as bargaining chips.
Thus is it necessary to reach a point at which we say, we’ve brought out as many of the hostages as we could, but can no longer leave Hamas standing. The dangers to Israel are too great.
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Apparently, Hamas has agreed to release four dead hostages overnight tonight (Wednesday) without an accompanying obscene “ceremony.” Egypt is going to supervise the exchange, receiving the bodies and passing them to the Red Cross, which will bring them to Israel. The 600 plus terrorists that Israel held back last week will be released in stages, as the identity of each body is confirmed via forensic tests.
The deceased scheduled for release are Ohad Yahalomi, Tsahi Idan, Itzik Elgarat, and Shlomo Mantzur.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/404557
This exchange represents the end of stage one of the negotiated ceasefire deal. But there is talk of extending it. It would give Israel the opportunity to secure additional hostages, while Hamas would gain time for additional preparations and securing the release of additional terrorists. This arrangement, then, might become a reality. What is being proposed is an extension that extends for the duration of Ramadan – which begins this Friday and lasts for a month.
Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, who was due here today, has postponed his visit because the situation is not yet “ripe” for further ceasefire negotiations. Not clear what this means or what he anticipates. He speaks both of extending stage one and negotiating stage two.
As of Tuesday night, Witkoff acknowledged that “he is unsure how the negotiations [on stage two] will reach Israel and the US redline of Hamas having no part of the governing structure in Gaza.
“We are working, we’re making a lot of progress…we’ve set some boundaries, some contours about what we want to talk about and what the outcomes we expect to happen. This is from the United States at the direction of President Trump.”
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-843864
All of this, I confess, makes me uneasy. It is not sufficient that Hamas have no part of the governing structure in Gaza. Hamas has to be taken out as a terror force capable of again inflicting harm on Israel.
In any event, the answer is simple: if the negotiations do not reach the redline of Hamas having no part in a governing structure, then it’s time to call a halt to negotiations and give them hell.
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As to Trump’s inflated plan for all of the people of Gaza to be sent elsewhere so that a glorious resort might be constructed, I remain dubious, as well. In spite of his attempt to strong-arm Jordan and Egypt, these countries have been adamant in refusing to cooperate. Nor are they without good reason for refusing. The Gazans (i.e., the civilians) have demonstrated an affinity for the violent practices and ideology of Hamas.
Some 100,000 or 200,000 may move out voluntarily with locations open to them in various countries. Israel is working on this. But close to two million is another story.
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At some level Trump understands his proposal is not a viable option. He is certainly giving Israel the nod for opening the gates of hell in Gaza.
He recently referred to Hamas as “a vicious group of people, and Israel’s going to have to decide what they’re doing.”
It was, he observed, a “very sad situation. At some point, somebody’s going to say: ‘We got to do something about this.'”
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/404566
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The most reassuring report to surface at this point (emphasis added):
“Israeli officials have informed Arab mediators that Israel aims to maintain an open-ended security presence in Gaza, establish buffer zones in the northern and eastern parts of the territory, and fully dismantle Hamas’s military capabilities, The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday. Israel also told the mediators that it would not withdraw from the Philadelphi corridor, a narrow land strip bordering Egypt.
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Let us close, then, with yet more evidence of the need to bring Hamas to its knees (emphasis added):
“Hamas spokesperson Abdul Latif al-Qanou declared that the continuation of the ceasefire or the advancement to the next phase in the agreement would be contingent on Israel’s complete compliance with the conditions set by the terrorist organization.
“’The guarantee for the release of the remaining prisoners (hostages) is the end of the war, withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and the beginning of reconstruction (of Gaza),’ said al-Qanou.”
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/404517
This is not a genuine negotiation he demands – it’s total control. Treating Hamas as a legitimate negotiating partner has always galled me. We are doing this now because of the hostages.
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I ask for prayers for Israel’s wellbeing – for the wisdom and strength of our leaders and the safety of all Am Yisrael.
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©Arlene Kushner. This material is produced by independent journalist Arlene Kushner. Permission is granted for it to be reproduced only with proper attribution.
