Israel has been forced into an excruciating deal with Hamas, the same group of terrorists who carried out the horrific massacre on October 7, 2023. Why has this decision been made? Because the world, instead of standing firmly against terrorism, has pressured Israel into agreeing to terms that demand the release of convicted terrorists—some of whom have the blood of innocents on their hands—in exchange for the return of Israeli civilians held hostage.
Among the hostages are Israeli women, children, and elderly civilians who were brutally taken from their homes and dragged into Gaza. These Israeli civilians have been subjected to unimaginable abuse while being held in Hamas’s underground dungeons, denied any access to humanitarian oversight or contact with their families. The reports emerging from Gaza are harrowing, including accounts of physical abuse, sexual violence, and mental torment.
By contrast, the “people” Israel has been forced to release, often referred to in certain circles as “Palestinian prisoners,”—include convicted terrorists responsible for orchestrating or carrying out attacks that killed and maimed Israeli civilians. Some of these individuals are serving life sentences for their crimes. Unlike the Israeli civilians taken hostage, these prisoners have had access to legal counsel, family visits, and rights protected under international law.
To equate these prisoners with the innocent Israeli civilians taken hostage on October 7 is both morally and factually indefensible.
The international community’s silence in the face of this grotesque disparity is deafening. Where is the outrage for the innocent Israeli lives destroyed and the families torn apart by terrorism? Where is the condemnation for those who use civilians, including children, as bargaining chips? Israel has been forced into this painful compromise because it values life above all else, even when faced with an enemy that revels in death and destruction.
This is not just about Israel. The actions of Hamas on October 7 and the global response to their demands reflect a broader challenge to the moral fabric of civilization.
If terrorists succeed in using these barbaric tactics to achieve their goals, it sets a dangerous precedent for the entire world.
How much more must Israel sacrifice to defend itself and, by extension, the principles of humanity and justice?
