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?

So much is happening in the news cycle that it’s dizzying. Yesterday we woke up hearing of the terrible plane crash in Washington, D.C. This was following on the heels of all the President Trump Executive Orders and the hearings for the Cabinet members. People are still reeling from the Los Angeles fires and the devastation caused by them. And in the midst of all this, Israel had another release of hostages.

I sat glued to the live feed all day yesterday with most of Israel watching with absolute horror and disgust. We got back three of the hostages kidnapped to Gaza on 7 October, 2023. The first to be freed was Agam Berger. Agam, age 20, was one of the soldiers (girls) who did surveillance of the Israel-Gaza border at the Nahal Oz base. Seventeen girls were taken in their pajamas, rounded up, placed against a wall by the Hamas terrorists. Some were raped. Some were killed. Some were mutilated. All were hogtied and of the seventeen, five were captured. Perhaps you have seen the brutal videos of Naama Levy, bloodied pants, being shoved into a jeep. One was killed, her body recovered in December, 2023. Three of these girls were released last Saturday. You can read about these brave heroines in my last blog.

Only Agam Berger was left. She was released yesterday, alone into a sea of Hamas soldiers dressed like teenage mutant ninja turtles, faces covered in black balaclavas, green Hamas headbands, machine guns. Frightening doesn’t even come close. She was dressed in a fake IDF uniform (remember, she was captured in pajamas) and made to walk the gauntlet. They paraded her to the ruins of Yahya Sinwar’s house where a stage had been erected. Red Cross members, who never once checked on the welfare of the hostages, were there to officially sign records and certificates. Amidst cheering and jeering and chanting, Agam was made to walk by herself on the stage. The cameraman instructed her to smile, wave, raise her hands.

We learned from her three friends, that the girls were often kept together. Sometimes in twos or threes. Hamas would move them around from tunnels to homes where they would be domestic slaves. Agam was their quiet source of strength. A young woman full of faith in G-d, she always prayed quietly in the morning, said blessings over her food and kept the Sabbath, refusing outright to do any work or cook for her captors on that day. She was a silent support to the other captives, always maintaining her calm and composure. It was Agam who was called upon to braid the hair of the other young girls who were released in November and December, 2023. “It was a very difficult time, but the thought of coming home kept me strong,” she reported from the hospital.

The next release was a horrific spectacle that played out before our eyes. Instead of Hamas, it was Palestinian Islamic Jihad who held the next group of captives. The mob that gathered was immense and unruly, many masked and in uniform, many in civilian attire. It is difficult to have any empathy at all for the “innocent. Civilians” of Gaza, given they are so indistinguishable from the savages. The crowd would not let the Red Cross vehicles through, standing on the vehicles, blocking the way.

Arbel Yehud was on the list of hostages set to be released last week, but somehow she was not able to be located. It was psychological warfare for the families and nation. Was she even alive or would a body be returned? Yesterday, she was marched through the gauntlet. A 28 year old civilian, she had been held alone underground during her entire captivity. She had little to no food. Now this pale, gaunt, terror stricken young woman was led through the mob who spat on her, jeered, took photos and videos (selfies), hit her and nearly crushed her in the press. It took almost an hour for her to reach the Red Cross handoff. Look at these photographs I captured off the live feed. Can you even begin to imagine how terrified Arbel must have been? She had no idea what was happening to her.

The next hostage to be released into that same throng was 80 year old (!!!!!) Gadi Moizes. He, too, was made to suffer through the gauntlet. At times the crowd was pressing so heavily, that you could see him gasping for air and screaming for the mob to give him space. Although much thinner, Gadi appeared to show strength and courage in the face of sheer terror. These are absolute heroes for us in Israel. Their resilience is an inspiration. Still, it took about 40 minutes for him to be delivered to the Red Cross vehicles.

All three hostages were separately transferred by the Red Cross to waiting IDF helicopters in Gaza. They were flown to a military base in Israel, assessed by physicians to see if they needed urgent medical attention, and then driven to local hospitals. Close family members were there waiting to be reunited with their loved ones.

About two hours later in the afternoon, five Thailanders who had also been taken into Gaza on 7 October, were to be set free. It was the first we’re had heard of this group of men. They had not been included in the names of the 250+ captured. This is really distressing to me. Why did we not know of these people here on study or agricultural work visas? They too, had been held by PIJ, and were marched through the angry crowd. According to current reports, there are still two more foreign nationals being held.

The release of the convicted prisoners from the Israeli jails was delayed because of the debacle in Gaza. After strong word from Netanyahu and a firm assurance from the international mediators of the prisoner swap deal that all future releases of the hostages are to be held in an acceptable manner, the continuation of the deal is now back on track. The idea that because of the horrific way yesterday was handled, three additional hostages would be released by Hamas today, was rescinded. Instead, this coming Shabbat (tomorrow), will bring the of Ofer Kalderon, Keith Siegel (the other American Israeli) and Yarden Bibas.

If the Bibas name sounds familiar, Yarden is the father of the Bibas family. His wife, Shiri was forced from their home in Kibbutz Nir Ozinto Gaza at gunpoint carrying her two red headed children, 9 month old Kfir and 4 year old Ariel. Israel has demanded that Hamas clarify the condition of Shiri and her two small boys, Fear for the fate of the Bibas trio has grown, especially over the past couple weeks. It was reported that they were being held by yet another splinter terrorist organization in Gaza, Kataib Mujahadin. Even the family dog, Tonto, a white shepherd mix, was abducted and later shot. The entire nation is retaining hope against hope that Shiri and the children are still alive and will be returned in good condition.

Grafitti of the Bibas family has been popping up throughout the cities in Israel. They have become literally poster children of this “war against humanity.” They have been the inspiration of poetry and songs, art and other creative displays. They have come to represent the horrors of 7October and the tragedy we face daily.

https://youtu.be/7Y9fHUOhTMY?si=VHcv47HppzqTBorA

Please, G-d, let there be good news. Let this family be alive. Let us have a return to normalcy. Let us have a peaceful Shabbat.