The barbaric Palestinian Islamic extremist group called Hamas carried out collective killings and massacres of innocent people in an unprecedented invasion of Israeli territory on October 7. They managed to kill more than 1,400 Israelis, not forgetting more than 5,000 wounded, kidnapped more than 200 innocent people, including babies, children, adults, the elderly, men and women, who are being held hostage with the purpose of being exchanged, according to some sources, for thousands of Palestinians who are in Israeli prisons for committing acts of terrorism.
Difficult situation for Israel and for all of us who want them to return home safe from all harm. It is very sad and hard to imagine what they must be going through and the type of treatment they may be receiving. And what can we say about the relatives of the hostages, who are suffering day after day from the absence and uncertainty of their loved ones.
Ironies of life, a lady who survived the Nazi Holocaust is now in the hands of terrorists. A 9-month-old baby is the youngest hostage in the hands of Hamas criminals.
Here in Israel, different acts, campaigns and events are being held to try to recover the hostages from the Gaza Strip. For instance last Thursday the 26th, there was an event in Jerusalem sponsored by the Municipality of Jerusalem that was called: “Lights of Hope” light up the sky of Jerusalem, a light bulb for every hostage in Gaza.
The exhibition consists of 224 light bulbs, corresponding to the number of captives held by Hamas.
Thursday night’s “Lights of Hope” exhibition in Jerusalem served as a symbol of solidarity with hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, aiming to raise international awareness of their plight.
The pain is immense and very difficult to describe in some lines.
We are in shock together with the victims of this tragedy and their families.
I have read that there were campaigns in places like London, New York or Paris with posters of the boys kidnapped by Hamas to be released and sadly pro-Palestinian and anti-Semitic groups tore down those posters. There was a video that caught my attention and went viral in New York City. It was seeing how a non-Jew confronted one of those pro-Palestinians who was throwing those posters to the ground and with great determination and character he confronted them without fear, that gave me a little hope within the immense sadness that we are going through in recent weeks where the news from the international media adopts Hamas propaganda that is used as a war tactic and is manipulated against Israel.
As former Prime Minister of Israel Yair Lapid (he was a journalist for 31 years) said in a press conference with international media several days ago: “It is interesting and shocking how fast the world is moving. At first, Israel was receiving a week of global sympathy and commotion and then the world attacked us again for defending ourselves.” … “Hamas’ lies are a tactic, they murder our children and then blame us, and then they murder their own children and then blame us. They use people as human shields, shooting them if they try to flee and all this with the coverage of a large amount of fake news. “There has never been a more cynical and horrible abuse of freedom of expression.”
Further proof of the global injustice that Israel suffers was the UN statement last Friday condemning Israel again without making any mention of the kidnapped people or of Hamas as a terrorist group.
As Golda Meir, former prime minister of Israel, said: “The day the Jews lay down their weapons, another Holocaust would happen. “The day the Arabs lay down their weapons we will be able to have peace.”
Author
Adiel Wajsman
Tour Guide Licensed
October 29, 2023