Yesterday was Shabbat. The show always happens on Shabbat, at the insistence of Hamas. Why? Because it is the one day of the week when the Jewish people are supposed to be at peace. It is a day of rest, not just from physical labor, but from mental and emotional burdens. Shabbat is a day of joy. The one day that televisions and cell phones and computers are put aside and you spend time with family and friends and nature… and G-d.

But the show must go on. And yes, it is joyful when more captives are released. The entire country exults when just one person is freed from captivity in Gaza, but at what cost? Firstly…. The shows. Very well choreographed displays are put on in the return and release ceremonies in Gaza. They are all filled with deep meaning and symbols meant for Israel. Hamas announces to us “The war is not over. We have really won. We are still here and not going anywhere except into Israel where we will kill its inhabitants and conquer the land, especially Jerusalem. We are the victors.”

Let me explain. Yesterday’s ceremony was especially painful to watch. The terrorists were gathered together in Khan Younis, several different groups all united. The ISIS troops and Palestinian Islamic Jihad were the soldiers dressed in all black with green helmets and the black and yellow flag and black headbands. Then there were the Hamas fighters in their camouflaged uniforms and green headbands. There were members of the AlQassam Brigade represented in dark green camouflage with floppy hats. And the Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade was there in stolen green IDF and stolen weapons (the terrorist in the green camo with back roll and red keffiyeh in front of the white van), as well as dark ‘cammies’ and red keffiyahs. A show of Islamic unity. In addition to arriving in their brand new white pickups as per usual, they brought in a white van and a large black Dodge Ram truck. Both were stolen from inside Israel on 7 October, 2023 and were being used to show their “booty” in addition to the people they took.

Of course, the Red Cross members were led out of the vans, driven and escorted by Hamas members. The Red Cross signed off on the hostage release… once again that all hostages were in good physical condition, even though they were never once visited or their status checked on. The Red Cross is a sham and just glorified Uber drivers in this situation.

Again, the stage was decorated symbolically. Several flags are on display: the Palestinian, Hamas, PIJ, Daesh (ISIS) and other brigade flags I did not recognize. To the left of the dais, the newly designed canvas poster showed a picture of Yahya Sinwar sitting in his bombed-out house where he was killed, on his red sofa, looking out over the Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount. There is a conquering Palestinian flag over the Temple Mount. The writing in Arabic, English and Hebrew reads “No immigration except to Jerusalem.” That means they will not stop fighting until Jerusalem and all Israel is conquered.

The poster at the bottom that stretches along the length of the platform shows photographs of Israeli army bases and Israeli villages and kibbutzim. The words read, “We crossed over swiftly.” It tells Israel that Hamas have done it once, and will do it again. There is no regret, only pride. The photoshopped canvas that hangs to the right shows all the past (martyred) and present leaders of Hamas. It is to give inspiration to the Palestinians. At the bottom is a picture of the Old City of Jerusalem…which they indicate will be conquered.

And of course, the center canvas displays a large photo of the Holy City of Jerusalem, holy to not only Muslims and Jews but to Christians. It contains the Via Dolorosa, where Jesus walked with his cross, the Holy Sepulchre, the Upper Room of the Last Supper (which is in the same building upstairs from King David’s holy burial site). It also contains many different Churches that are very important in Christianity. And the Kotel, the Western Wall, and many sites that are extremely holy to Judaism. The writing on this banner proclaims to all the Islamic World, “O Jerusalem, bear witness, we are your soldiers.” This is a direct threat to Western Civilization. It is most important that you understand their message! They are not playing around, but announcing directly their intentions.

Three Israeli captives, Yair Horn Sasha Troufanov (a Russian Israeli), and Sagi Dekel-Chen (American Israeli), were paraded onto the stage with their certificates and goodie bags. I was watching on AlJazeera news live, Memri TV, and i24news to see all sides. The reporters (only Muslim) were present with their expensive cameras and recording equipment. All “journalists” wore the military terror uniforms. The hostages were made to thank their captors for their excellent treatment.

Hamas gave the released hostages a “special parting gift” to pass along to Einav Zangauker, the mother of the hostage, Matan, who is still being held captive. It was a beautiful hourglass with green sand. On it was a photo of Einav and Matan and the inscription in Arabic, Hebrew and English: Time is Running Out. How incredibly thoughtful of them!! Another act of psychological torture even at the end. These are evil monsters we are dealing with.

We are all overjoyed at their homecoming. Still, Sasha today learned that his father was murdered on Oct. 7. His grandmother, mother and girlfriend were also kidnapped, and he was shot in both legs while taken hostage. He returned limping. Yair was taken along with his brother, Eitan, into Gaza. Only Yair was released, and if you watch the video, not only was he limping, but escorted by the arms and holding on to nearby objects to balance. His brother was left nehind, not even one of the names included for this Phase 1 hostage release cycle. Sagi was captured before his daughter was born and missed the first year of her life. Today his wife told him, she named their baby Shachar Mazal…Dawn of Mazal (fortune). All of their homes on the Nir Oz kibbutz were completely bombed and burned out.

Also yesterday, Israel released a few prisoners. 369 to be exact. That’s not 30 or 50 convicted terrorists per Israeli civilian. It’s 123. That’s unbelievable. I don’t know why we kowtow to these negotiators. Israel is its own worst enemy. It’s the truth and I say it out loud now. 31 prisoners, who were serving multiple life sentences for planning terror attacks that killed or wounded multiple people, were deported. 124 convicted felons were released into Judaea and Samaria (West Bank). The remaining 214 were bussed back into Gaza. They had been picked up on 7October during the terror attacks.

Upon the first prisoner release, they were all wearing white wristbands that said in Arabic and Hebrew, “The eternal people do not forget.” It also includes a verse from Psalm 18: “ I will pursue my enemies and catch them.”

The next release the prisoners all wore black jackets emblazoned with a yellow ribbon and a “never forget/never again” in memory/honor of the hostages still remaining. Yesterday, the group was released wearing a white t-shirt with the IDF symbol and a blue Star of David. As soon as they got to Ramallah, they took off their shirts and burned them. Some would say these wristbands and shirts were also psychological torture.

In other news, as I was watching AlJazeera, I saw two things: small Gazan children as young as four or five, wearing terror headbands, some dressed as soldiers, many holding guns. All were chanting allahu akhbar and other chants. Also, within fifteen minutes of release, one terrorist, donned his head covering as well as a gun (illegal Karl Gustav?). He was shouting that he would soon kill many Jews. The Resistance is alive and well.

What more is there to write?