Nothing about the times we are living in is “ordinary.” The implications for what is happening are profound, first for Israel, and then for the world.
Members of Hamas have exposed themselves as evil in the absolute sense. Their thoroughly documented actions during the massacre of October 7 make this utterly clear.
Douglas Murray, British author and political commentator, had the courage to watch footage of the Hamas massacre and had some searing observations (emphasis added):
“a level of depravity that not even the Nazis did…the whole time they massacred, throughout the whole thing, the Hamas fighters were in a state of utter elation, utter elation…”
There are, says Murray, stories of Nazis who got dead drunk at night in order to try to forget the atrocities they committed during the day. But the Hamas terrorists were delighted with what they had done.
“The Hamas terrorists were using ‘allahu akhbar’ all the way through.” Literally, it means Allah is great, but it is, as Murray says, “a war cry.” A terrorist calls his mother and brags that he killed 10 Israeli with his bare hands, and his mother cries “Allahu akbar.”
See this, share it, share it:
https://worldisraelnews.com/watch-a-level-of-depravity-not-even-the-nazis-did-douglas-murray/
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I will follow below with a litany of Hamas actions that are further evidence of their utter, consummate evil.
But first we need to consider how extraordinary was the way in which Israel rose up to meet the challenge after the bone-shaking horror, the profound failure, of the October 7 massacre: this was the challenge of totally destroying Hamas.
No equivocation, no self-doubt. Just absolute determination on the part of the political echelon (with a unity government established), the military, and our citizens.
Last Saturday night, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Minister Benny Gantz held a joint press conference and spoke in a voice of unity. We will see this through, they declared – as Netanyahu said, even if it’s necessary to “stand firm against the world.”
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The IDF, which had planned and practiced for this confrontation for years, has proven equal to the task.
Late last week, Meir Ben Shabbat, head of the Misgav Institute for National Security & Zionist Strategy, made it clear that Israel is in it to win. He wrote (emphasis added):
“With the general siege on the strip and control over the city of Gaza, accompanied by artillery and air support, the IDF has deepened its activities in captured areas, purging the terrain so that it can no longer serve the enemy combatants or be used for production and storage of weapons, or for other terror-related matters while ratcheting up the pressure on other parts in the heart of the city.
“From what can be gleaned through the justifiable IDF veil of ambiguity is that the war has been prosecuted well; the IDF conduct has projected professionalism, as a well-oiled machine with precise and close jointness among the various services and agencies. Throughout the fighting, there has been a quick learning process, with the preliminary debriefings being shared among the troops and the various areas of operation. This all serves as a force multiplier and enhances the overall effectiveness of the offensive and defensive arrays.”
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Yoav Limor wrote on November 11 that it has finally dawned on Hamas that Israel is not going to stop this time.
“Yahya Sinwar prepared for Israel’s aerial attack. It’s probable that he also prepared for a ground confrontation, but it’s doubtful if he estimated that Israel would act with such force. Moreover, it’s uncertain whether he understands the true picture of the actual combat: Many of his strongholds were hit, communication infrastructure was affected, and the IDF maintains ambiguity regarding the extent of its forces and their locations.”
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Limor anticipated that the IDF might be close to taking over Gaza City. And indeed, by Monday, two days later, we had this from Defense Minister Gallant: Hamas has lost control of the Gaza Strip.
“There is no force of Hamas capable of stopping the IDF. The IDF is advancing to every point. … Terrorists are fleeing south. Civilians are looting Hamas bases. They have no confidence in the [Hamas] government.”
Israeli forces in Gaza are operating “according to plans and carry out the tasks accurately, lethally.” The IDF was “intensifying” its actions against Hamas’s extensive tunnel network.
“We work according to tasks. We don’t have a stopwatch. We have goals. We will achieve our goals.”
https://www.jns.org/gallant-hamas-has-lost-control-of-the-gaza-strip/
And what do we see now? A picture put out by the Golani Brigade of their troops, waving Israeli flags in the parliament building of Hamas.
In the last 24 hours alone, we have hit 200 Hamas targets. We have not reached all our goals yet, but we are on the way, with God’s help. Extraordinary!
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There is Hamas infrastructure yet to be destroyed, and there are commanders who must still be eliminated – none more so than Yayha Sinwar, Hamas leader and mastermind. His capture or, hopefully, his elimination will go a long way towards destroying Hamas morale. I have no compunctions about admitting that I would like to see something that is not going to take place: Sinwar tortured to a slow death once captured.
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Most critically, we must rescue our roughly 240 captives – some 34 of them children. What sort of lowlife beings capture children? The youngest is Kfir Bibas , now 10 months old. The heart wrenches at the thought of him in vile Hamas hands.
https://www.jns.org/the-youngest-hostage/
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Now there is also news about a woman who was nine months pregnant when captured. It is presumed that she has delivered her baby, although there is no information on this. I have no words, because none are adequate.
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There are rumors of a possible deal that could involve the release of some 80-100 women and children. It will involve a trade of women and teenagers we hold in our prisons. Generally speaking, trades are not a good idea (Sinwar was released from our prison during a trade), but with these parameters, it is exceedingly important to do it.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/380276
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We have now lost 46 beautiful young soldiers in our fight against Hamas. Each one a precious son, brother, husband or father. And so, we walk with heavy hearts on this count as well, even as we know full well that this is the price that must be paid.
People flock to attend funerals of individuals they did not know personally and pay shiva (condolence) calls to their families. Part of the extraordinary unity of our nation today.
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One of the aspects of our situation that has been extraordinary, from a chokingly negative perspective, is the virulence and the extent of anti-Israel sentiment that has risen in many quarters of the world. Fueled by anti-Semitism, it defies all rational understanding, all logic. Filled with hatred, it is far beyond anything that would have been expected.
Among those who are die-hard haters of Israel and Jews, there is no evidence we can offer that will convince them to change their minds. They “know” that there was no massacre on October 7; Israelis made it up, using photo-shop. They tear down pictures of the hostages because they also “know” this is just “propaganda.”
But among the more “moderate” critics of Israel’s actions, a change in their thinking is possible when hard evidence is presented. That is why it is critical that we refute the array of lies about Israel that is continually put out and share information both about what Hamas is doing, and what Israel is doing.
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We are looking, in the main, at the issues of Hamas use of human shields in the hospitals of Gaza and the movement of the Gazan civilians to the south.
But we also have information such as this:
On Sunday, President Herzog revealed that IDF forces operating in northern Gaza had discovered a copy of Hitler’s “Mein Kampf” translated into Arabic on the body of a terrorist in a children’s bedroom of a civilian home that was being used as a Hamas terror base…The civilian home also contained an explosives lab.”
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“The IDF provided 300 liters of fuel for urgent medical purposes for the Shifa Hospital — but Hamas prevented the hospital from receiving the fuel, and then later seized the fuel for their own terrorist purposes.”
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On Friday, “the IDF enabled the evacuation of the Rantisi and Nasser hospitals.
“IDF troops…opened and secured an evacuation route, along which civilians can travel on foot and in ambulances…armed terrorists approached the IDF troops and fired on them.”
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/380112
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Israel refuted charges last week that the IDF had put a siege on Shifa hospital, beneath which sits Hamas headquarters. Not only was it not so, Israel had offered to move out babies to a safer hospital.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vF3hX86ozw
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Yesterday (Monday), the IDF discovered evidence that hostages were held in the Hamas Command Center in the basement of the Rantisi hospital:
According to IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari, a tunnel ran from a nearby terrorist commander’s home to the basement of Rantisi, and that the basement contained objects showing that it had been used to house hostages. These included a chair with leg binding, a baby’s bottle and diapers, discarded women’s clothing…
Intolerable to contemplate a baby, an innocent baby, held in such a location.
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In the end, babies could not be evacuated from Shifa hospital because of Hamas interference. Instead, the IDF is delivering Israeli incubators to the hospital.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-773115
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Today, “Israeli forces operating on the ground in Gaza also uncovered a tunnel shaft in a mosque.”
https://www.jns.org/idf-hits-200-targets-in-gaza-troops-uncover-tunnel-shaft-in-mosque/
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Yashar LaChayal (“Straight to the Soldier”) is running an emergency campaign to provide supplies to our soldiers. Donations are devoted in their entirety to the soldiers’ needs.
Through communication with army officials this group is able to assess the most urgent needs of the soldiers: Right now, fleece jackets, thermals, socks, underwear, hygiene products, neck warmers, hats and more are being distributed.
Please consider a donation: https://yasharlachayal.org/donate/
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Pray to Heaven for Israel, my friends. Pray for the safety of our boys and the rescue of our hostages, and the strength and wisdom of our leaders. Pray with a heart filled with hope, not fear.
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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.
