I’m sorry.. I’m not impressed by this capitulation.. I want every hostage to come home, but any deal that leaves Hamas in control of Gaza assures us of a future October 7.. there will be no peace. I strongly recommend that as soon as the last hostage is returned (Hamas could shoot them all if they wanted, so this agreement is worthless).. Israel takes its one turn to break the ceasefire and destroy everything in Gaza vs and reoccupy it.. the deal means nothing to Hamas. They can break it on a whim, and now, so can we.. this is the only way to prevent another 10/7.. anything else signals weakness. I am very disappointed in Trump’s reaction. Capitulation is not the art of the deal.. I can’t believe Bibi accepted this deal and didn’t wait until 1/20 to attack harder.
Hamas keeps moving the goal posts as usual before the ink is even dry on this post. Our sworn enemies will continue to repeat the October 7th murderous rampage again and again. They have told us so. We have also just received confirmation, again, half the world is antisemitic. The number is probably higher. This should not come as any surprise to any of us. On October 8th, 2023, we should have told them to release all hostages, or we will incinerate Gaza. They are all enemy combatants. The United States should have supported this as well. Our enemies hate the United States as well. The same warning should be expressed in southern Lebanon and Syria. Our enemies have no interest in peace or honoring a cease fire. They will just use the time to regroup and restock their weapons of terror. Iran was bloviating about their advanced missile capabilities and are in Russia on a new cooperation submit. China is building advanced landing craft to invade Taiwan. What is it going to take for Western Civilization to understand this?
1) I totally understand why Israel accepted this deal;
2) That said, I have zero doubt that this is but a prelude to the "next round". Hamas will 100% try to repeat October 7th, if not attempt something even worse;
3) My disagreement is that there will be no switch in narratives from "genocide" to why Israel lost the war. I think that both narratives will continue and if anything, with ICC and ICJ decisions coming in the next year or so, the "genocide" fiction will flourish.
I sincerely hope that when our people have been safely recovered that Israel goes full "Munich" on every single person that they can they identify that had anything whatsoever to do with October 7th or with hiding captives. Burn.Them.To.The.Ground.
“Sophie’s Choice” indeed. It’s an awe-full and awful mix of hope and pain (if they are still alive, it sounds like Ariel & Kfir’s parents will, outrageously, face YET MORE torture having to witness their children being released without them). So many Israelis are steeling ourselves against the inevitable Orwellian truth-inverting reaction of the Islamists/ antisemites, etc.
Pardon my French but those Israelis vomiting death threats can just fuck all the way off. (I only hope they are bots or paid - it’s embarrassing to imagine Israelis so brain dead as to threaten death because of arguments made to ensure that more innocents don’t die in the long run )
There is a lot of emotion around this deal, because after all how could there not be? I don't pretend to know how unimaginably terrible it is to be taken hostage and imprisoned for over a year, or to know how agonizing it is to be the family member of a hostage. October 7th was a nightmare come to life. All Israelis have been held hostage. All Jews in the diaspora who empathize and support their fellow Jews feel it as well. So I understand the imperative to get people back home.
We know what we know. There are things we don't know. If the deal is exactly as it has been presented, then there are serious questions to be addressed, because Hamas cannot be the ruler of Gaza and the Gazans don't deserve a state. They deserve contempt and judgment. They also deserve nothing from Israel in terms of rebuilding their sick society of murderers and accomplices to murder. If you can be a criminal gang and take prisoners to get what you want from advanced democracies, the whole world better watch out, because it's going to be a trend, and not just for Jews.
But I'm thinking, and I could be totally wrong here, that what's been made public is not the entirety of what's on the table between the United States and Israel, and perhaps with other allies in the region. It's too convenient. The argument that Trump is going to come down hard on Hamas if they don't make a deal doesn't align with what Israel is being asked to do and suddenly acquiescing to in order to make a deal. Hamas is giving up nothing but innocent hostages. Thousands of murderers being released. What leverage does Hamas have? Their organization is weak. The Arabists and "Progressive" geniuses in the State Department and the Biden Administration want to keep Israel surrounded by Islamists. But I don't think Trump sees it that way. Again, I could be wrong. And if so, I'm very disappointed, because I think Israel is in a position to obtain a definitive, long lasting favorable resolution to a lot of its terror problems at this point. In any event, we're going to see.
Be careful with jumping to conclusions about what Trump is doing. Misdirection is one of his favorite moves. After it's really done, then you will know what the plan was all along.
This makes so much sense and I'm so sorry you're getting backlash. As a parent of girls the ages of many of the hostage girls, I'm sure I would want them home at any cost. Yet this is a terrible deal. Ultimately, Hamas wins. Had the world put pressure on Hamas to release the hostages, rather than on Israel to ceasefire, we might not be in this position. I'm frustrated that their disinformation campaign worked so well and that our Jewish orgs are so fractured that we have been unfocused and unable to quash much of it. We need to do better in that area.
Thank you for writing this. I am not related to a hostage and cannot begin to fathom with this feels like for the families. But… this whole deal makes me feel very uneasy, and I feel like people are celebrating prematurely. I don’t understand why more people are not speaking up like you are by at least pointing out how ludicrous this is. Well, I understand (antisemitism), but it still blows my mind. 1000 prisoners returned to them? Of the 33 hostages being released in the initial deal, they do not even know how many are alive. Newspapers are just reporting this like it’s kind of a normal thing. “They might get 33, but some of them might be corpses, we just don’t know … shrug.”That, in itself is pure, psychological torture. Part of me wonders if what’s left of Hamas even knows where everyone is. Also, as an aside, I hear people use the phrase “Sophie’s Choice” often in situations that are nowhere near as horrific as the phrase warrants. I appreciate your use of it here, where it is entirely appropriate.
> When Trump stated that there would be “hell” to pay if the hostages were not returned by January 20, I’m not sure that “hell” would look like 1,000 terrorists released, more aid and less IDF soldiers in Gaza…
When Trump said there would be "hell to pay" I wondered who he had in mind to pay it. He left that very ambiguous and I found that disconcerting. Trump has a long and consistent history of throwing his supporters under buses, and Biden does whatever the raving progressive antisemites tell him to do, plus Biden, like all American Presidents, wants to take the claim that he brought Peace To The Middle East, and they always do it at the expense of Israel.
I am with you on every point. I am glad that *some* of the hostages are coming home, and that *some* of these hostages coming home will actually be alive, but I mourn for murdered hostages and for the soldiers who died trying to take down Hamas that the west dearly dearly wants to keep in place because anyone who devotes their lives to killing Jews must be justified and positively saintly. I mourn for the continued precedent that hostages = victory and the guaranteed hundreds or thousands of hostages that will be taken in the future.
A lot of darkness to exchange for a tiny bit of light.
It is wonderful that there will be a release of the hostages. BUT, the cost is yet to be determined.
I cannot imagine the psychic and physical difficulties these "released" humans will have to overcome. The pain. Will they ever be "released," I truly doubt it.
Are there babies? Have the ill captives all died?
How many "innocent" Palestinian prisoners will be sent back in body bags? How many will return to kill? Remember the Imam from Michigan who said "it is a win win situation. If we kill them, we win. If they kill us, we become martyrs to our cause. We win."
There is no guarantee that this would not happen again.
Is there an associated or attached warning that if it were to happen again Gaza would be Palestinianrein? Would the UN, ICC, ICJ, Ireland, Iran, Russia, China, IRC, Turkey... accept this and support Israel? I think the Pope would sooner convert to Islam.
We will see, won't we?
If there is no cost to taking hostages, killing innocents during a cease fire, raping hostages tied to a bed, cutting off babies' heads, slashing women's organs with a knife after raping them, and if the "humanitarian organizations of the world" can barely protest, what is the chance it would not recur?
My heart is breaking once again. I send prayers to all involved, all who are suffering. I pray also that this fits with Hashem’s plan for the well being of Israel.
It seems to me that this deal reveals two truths: The first, that Israel and the West value life infinitely more than their enemies, so less than ideal deals like this get done. Second, this war was in a significant extent in the hands of (mostly) well-meaning people who were more interested in ending the war, rather than winning it.
I’m sorry.. I’m not impressed by this capitulation.. I want every hostage to come home, but any deal that leaves Hamas in control of Gaza assures us of a future October 7.. there will be no peace. I strongly recommend that as soon as the last hostage is returned (Hamas could shoot them all if they wanted, so this agreement is worthless).. Israel takes its one turn to break the ceasefire and destroy everything in Gaza vs and reoccupy it.. the deal means nothing to Hamas. They can break it on a whim, and now, so can we.. this is the only way to prevent another 10/7.. anything else signals weakness. I am very disappointed in Trump’s reaction. Capitulation is not the art of the deal.. I can’t believe Bibi accepted this deal and didn’t wait until 1/20 to attack harder.
Releasing 1,000 terrorists is a terrible mistake.
Hamas keeps moving the goal posts as usual before the ink is even dry on this post. Our sworn enemies will continue to repeat the October 7th murderous rampage again and again. They have told us so. We have also just received confirmation, again, half the world is antisemitic. The number is probably higher. This should not come as any surprise to any of us. On October 8th, 2023, we should have told them to release all hostages, or we will incinerate Gaza. They are all enemy combatants. The United States should have supported this as well. Our enemies hate the United States as well. The same warning should be expressed in southern Lebanon and Syria. Our enemies have no interest in peace or honoring a cease fire. They will just use the time to regroup and restock their weapons of terror. Iran was bloviating about their advanced missile capabilities and are in Russia on a new cooperation submit. China is building advanced landing craft to invade Taiwan. What is it going to take for Western Civilization to understand this?
1) I totally understand why Israel accepted this deal;
2) That said, I have zero doubt that this is but a prelude to the "next round". Hamas will 100% try to repeat October 7th, if not attempt something even worse;
3) My disagreement is that there will be no switch in narratives from "genocide" to why Israel lost the war. I think that both narratives will continue and if anything, with ICC and ICJ decisions coming in the next year or so, the "genocide" fiction will flourish.
I sincerely hope that when our people have been safely recovered that Israel goes full "Munich" on every single person that they can they identify that had anything whatsoever to do with October 7th or with hiding captives. Burn.Them.To.The.Ground.
“Sophie’s Choice” indeed. It’s an awe-full and awful mix of hope and pain (if they are still alive, it sounds like Ariel & Kfir’s parents will, outrageously, face YET MORE torture having to witness their children being released without them). So many Israelis are steeling ourselves against the inevitable Orwellian truth-inverting reaction of the Islamists/ antisemites, etc.
Pardon my French but those Israelis vomiting death threats can just fuck all the way off. (I only hope they are bots or paid - it’s embarrassing to imagine Israelis so brain dead as to threaten death because of arguments made to ensure that more innocents don’t die in the long run )
There is a lot of emotion around this deal, because after all how could there not be? I don't pretend to know how unimaginably terrible it is to be taken hostage and imprisoned for over a year, or to know how agonizing it is to be the family member of a hostage. October 7th was a nightmare come to life. All Israelis have been held hostage. All Jews in the diaspora who empathize and support their fellow Jews feel it as well. So I understand the imperative to get people back home.
We know what we know. There are things we don't know. If the deal is exactly as it has been presented, then there are serious questions to be addressed, because Hamas cannot be the ruler of Gaza and the Gazans don't deserve a state. They deserve contempt and judgment. They also deserve nothing from Israel in terms of rebuilding their sick society of murderers and accomplices to murder. If you can be a criminal gang and take prisoners to get what you want from advanced democracies, the whole world better watch out, because it's going to be a trend, and not just for Jews.
But I'm thinking, and I could be totally wrong here, that what's been made public is not the entirety of what's on the table between the United States and Israel, and perhaps with other allies in the region. It's too convenient. The argument that Trump is going to come down hard on Hamas if they don't make a deal doesn't align with what Israel is being asked to do and suddenly acquiescing to in order to make a deal. Hamas is giving up nothing but innocent hostages. Thousands of murderers being released. What leverage does Hamas have? Their organization is weak. The Arabists and "Progressive" geniuses in the State Department and the Biden Administration want to keep Israel surrounded by Islamists. But I don't think Trump sees it that way. Again, I could be wrong. And if so, I'm very disappointed, because I think Israel is in a position to obtain a definitive, long lasting favorable resolution to a lot of its terror problems at this point. In any event, we're going to see.
Be careful with jumping to conclusions about what Trump is doing. Misdirection is one of his favorite moves. After it's really done, then you will know what the plan was all along.
Echoes of 'Let My People Go'. So little value on a Jewish life...30:1. I feel the burden of your heart Eve
This makes so much sense and I'm so sorry you're getting backlash. As a parent of girls the ages of many of the hostage girls, I'm sure I would want them home at any cost. Yet this is a terrible deal. Ultimately, Hamas wins. Had the world put pressure on Hamas to release the hostages, rather than on Israel to ceasefire, we might not be in this position. I'm frustrated that their disinformation campaign worked so well and that our Jewish orgs are so fractured that we have been unfocused and unable to quash much of it. We need to do better in that area.
Terrible deal. But necessary step to move forward. Israel needs hostages back. Destruction of Hamas to follow in next phase.
Thank you for writing this. I am not related to a hostage and cannot begin to fathom with this feels like for the families. But… this whole deal makes me feel very uneasy, and I feel like people are celebrating prematurely. I don’t understand why more people are not speaking up like you are by at least pointing out how ludicrous this is. Well, I understand (antisemitism), but it still blows my mind. 1000 prisoners returned to them? Of the 33 hostages being released in the initial deal, they do not even know how many are alive. Newspapers are just reporting this like it’s kind of a normal thing. “They might get 33, but some of them might be corpses, we just don’t know … shrug.”That, in itself is pure, psychological torture. Part of me wonders if what’s left of Hamas even knows where everyone is. Also, as an aside, I hear people use the phrase “Sophie’s Choice” often in situations that are nowhere near as horrific as the phrase warrants. I appreciate your use of it here, where it is entirely appropriate.
> When Trump stated that there would be “hell” to pay if the hostages were not returned by January 20, I’m not sure that “hell” would look like 1,000 terrorists released, more aid and less IDF soldiers in Gaza…
When Trump said there would be "hell to pay" I wondered who he had in mind to pay it. He left that very ambiguous and I found that disconcerting. Trump has a long and consistent history of throwing his supporters under buses, and Biden does whatever the raving progressive antisemites tell him to do, plus Biden, like all American Presidents, wants to take the claim that he brought Peace To The Middle East, and they always do it at the expense of Israel.
I am with you on every point. I am glad that *some* of the hostages are coming home, and that *some* of these hostages coming home will actually be alive, but I mourn for murdered hostages and for the soldiers who died trying to take down Hamas that the west dearly dearly wants to keep in place because anyone who devotes their lives to killing Jews must be justified and positively saintly. I mourn for the continued precedent that hostages = victory and the guaranteed hundreds or thousands of hostages that will be taken in the future.
A lot of darkness to exchange for a tiny bit of light.
It is wonderful that there will be a release of the hostages. BUT, the cost is yet to be determined.
I cannot imagine the psychic and physical difficulties these "released" humans will have to overcome. The pain. Will they ever be "released," I truly doubt it.
Are there babies? Have the ill captives all died?
How many "innocent" Palestinian prisoners will be sent back in body bags? How many will return to kill? Remember the Imam from Michigan who said "it is a win win situation. If we kill them, we win. If they kill us, we become martyrs to our cause. We win."
There is no guarantee that this would not happen again.
Is there an associated or attached warning that if it were to happen again Gaza would be Palestinianrein? Would the UN, ICC, ICJ, Ireland, Iran, Russia, China, IRC, Turkey... accept this and support Israel? I think the Pope would sooner convert to Islam.
We will see, won't we?
If there is no cost to taking hostages, killing innocents during a cease fire, raping hostages tied to a bed, cutting off babies' heads, slashing women's organs with a knife after raping them, and if the "humanitarian organizations of the world" can barely protest, what is the chance it would not recur?
Frightening.
My heart is breaking once again. I send prayers to all involved, all who are suffering. I pray also that this fits with Hashem’s plan for the well being of Israel.
I would prefer if Trump said, “it’s a bad deal”, which it is. And he’s known to say in less serious situations.
You can’t “deal” with terrorists.
An insistence to release the hostages with no “deal” or or “hell to pay” would be appropriate. IMO
It seems to me that this deal reveals two truths: The first, that Israel and the West value life infinitely more than their enemies, so less than ideal deals like this get done. Second, this war was in a significant extent in the hands of (mostly) well-meaning people who were more interested in ending the war, rather than winning it.