BACKGROUND – TALKING POINTS – ACTIONS – VOICES – STORIES
Hamas viciously murdered six Israeli hostages in a tunnel underneath Gaza. The Iran-backed terrorists executed each with bullets to the back of their heads because the Israeli Defense Forces were closing in on their position. Hamas terrorists likely assumed that the killings could be exploited to apply pressure to Israel. On the other hand, a successful hostage rescue could encourage more Israeli operations against Hamas. This perverse PR strategy appears to work because many world leaders and international organizations are blaming Israel for the deaths of its own citizens. The latest killings have dramatically intensified demands on the Jewish state to give in to Hamas in negotiations to reach a ceasefire.
From top left: Hersh Goldberg-Polin (23), Ori Danino (25), Eden Yerushalmi (24). From bottom left: Almog Sarusi (27), Alexander Lobanov (33), Carmel Gat (40). Photo: The Hostages Families Forum
Psychological Warfare: ‘Hamas plays psychological games with us’
The Hamas executions have forced most Israelis to re-live the horrific trauma of the Oct. 7 massacre. An autopsy revealed that Hersh, Carmel, Alex, Eden, Or and Almog were shot multiple times at close range two to three days before their bodies were discovered by Israeli soldiers. The IDF also recently recovered the body of a soldier killed on 10/7 whose remains were kidnapped and taken to Gaza.
Hamas is leveraging the latest murders to drive its propaganda through many world leaders, journalists, university students and social media influencers – playing right into the Hamas agenda. The Iran-backed terror group has used Israeli hostages to wage psychological warfare against Israelis and demanded outrageous concessions that would not be expected of any other country. The cold-blooded terrorists even recorded scripted messages from each of the six hostages before slaughtering them and then blamed their deaths on lies about Israel’s unwillingness to agree to ceasefire terms that benefit Hamas.
Former hostage Moran Stela Yanai: “It’s part of the psychological games they play with us. They don’t just toy with us, they toy with our families. It doesn’t end with ‘we murdered people, we took people and we left.’ They continue to abuse us and continue to torment our families.”
The heartbreaking recordings included American Israeli Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, who became symbolic of the plight faced by all of the hostages and their families. He appears in the video with his amputated arm that was blown off by a grenade attack in the bomb shelter where he was hiding when it was attacked by Hamas terrorists on 10/7. His parents recently spoke at the Democratic National Convention to chants: “Bring them home.” American Israeli Omer Neutra, 22, was born on Long Island, New York, and grew up as a Knicks fan. His parents spoke at the Republican National Convention. Days after the grim news about the hostages, the U.S. Justice Dept. announced criminal charges against six Hamas leaders for the 10/7 attack.
Hamas continues to engage in psychological warfare. American Israeli Hersh Goldberg-Polin appeared on camera with his amputated left arm that was blown off by a Hamas grenade on Oct. 7. (Hamas propaganda videos)
Israel’s Dilemma: ‘Bring them home now’
There is a legitimate, complex and heartbreaking debate in Israel between rescuing the remaining hostages and disarming Hamas so it can never repeat Oct. 7 – a vow its terrorist masterminds have sworn to do. Israeli leaders find themselves in an impossible situation, facing calls to reach a ceasefire deal that returns handfuls of hostages in phases through the exchange of hundreds of Palestinian terrorists – likely leaving Gaza in the hands of Hamas. A Hamas condition would demand Israeli forces to relinquish control of the corridor between Gaza and Egypt, where the IDF uncovered 150 tunnels extending over the border that were used by Hamas to smuggle tons of weapons into Gaza.
Hamas has a history of kidnapping Israelis and exploiting the emotions of Israelis to accept lopsided deals. Hamas terrorists used a tunnel dug under the Israeli border with Gaza to kidnap Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in 2006. He was held in captivity for more than five years before his life was exchanged for 1,027 Palestinian terrorists – including 280 serving life sentences. This included current Hamas leader and Oct. 7 mastermind Yahya Sinwar.
A recent New York Times article on the Hamas tunnels included an IDF-estimated cost of $300,000 per half mile of basic tunnels. Given the extensive labyrinth of tunnels and sophisticated command centers, the massive amount of funds could have been used to build Gaza for the betterment of Palestinian civilians.
Many Israelis feel a deep connection to each other – based in part on the Jewish value of pidyon shvuyim, redemption of the captives – and the value derived from the ethics of military service to never leave anyone behind. The Jewish state is a democratic and free society. Hundreds of thousands of Israelis continue to protest against the government in the streets – an example of the Middle East’s only democracy – but others fear that a ceasefire agreement that allows Hamas to retain power will lead to a future war that will cause more death, destruction and abductions. The Hamas charter clearly states that the Palestinian terror has one primary mission: destroy Israel and murder all Jews – making a two-state solution impossible.
NYC Hamas Rally: ‘Hersh deserved to die’
No more than 24 hours after the tragic news about the hostage murders, several anti-Israel and anti-America organizations led a Labor Day rally on the streets of New York City in support of Hamas. The lead organizer was Within Our Lifetime, a NY-based group led by co-founder Nerdeen Kiswani. She rose to prominence after her classmates selected her to give the commencement speech – virulently anti-Jewish – to the 2022 graduating class at City Univ. of NY’s School of Law. At a rally in 2021, she stated: “I hope that pop-pop is the last noise that some Zionists hear in their lifetime!” The group is dedicated to eradicating the Jewish state.
Clockwise from bottom left: The American group Within Our Lifetime is a proud and loud supporter of Hamas and its goal of destroying Israel “within our lifetime”; masked supporters march with flags from Hamas, the pictures of Hamas leaders on a Palestinian flag for Samidoun – a group advocating for the release of Palestinian terrorists from Israeli prisons, a flag with multiple terror groups and the Hezbollah flag, all on the streets of NYC.
The all-too-common chants were shouted through the streets: to “globalize the intifada” and “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” – overt calls for violent attacks around the world and the destruction of Israel. Flags of several Iran-backed terrorist organizations that killed and continue to target Americans were proudly displayed.
A man driving a car covered in Palestinian flags declared that the American Israeli hostage Hersh “deserved to die” and that “Israel killed him.” Many others spread lies and Hamas propaganda online:
A Palestinian American promotes the blood libel on X that Israel killed its own hostages rather than Hamas. On Wikipedia, one of the leading contributors to the page on American Israeli Hersh Goldberg-Polin promotes the same narrative.
Testimonies of Former Hostages: ‘I don’t want my dad to be next’
Days after the six hostages were murdered, former hostage Erez Calderon, 12, posted a video plea for his captive dad’s return: “Imagine how I felt when I was separated from my father when he was all covered in blood from the blows the terrorists gave him. It’s a moment that never leaves me. How can I celebrate my bar mitzvah in two months when my father is in Gaza? Yesterday I heard that terrorists murdered six hostages. I can’t stop thinking, I don’t want my dad to be next.”
The shock many Israelis experienced after hearing about the fate of the hostages was a stark reversal from their jubilation only a few days earlier when the IDF rescued 52-year-old Arab Bedouin father of 11 Farhan al-Qadi. He was kept in complete darkness: “It was pitch black, and I would put my hands over my eyes to make sure I could still see, it was that dark.” He was abandoned by his captors two weeks before his rescue, but not before Hamas terrorists rigged the tunnel with explosives to prevent him from escaping.
Farhan’s kidnappers shot him in the leg when he refused to tell them where there were Jews – he was operated on without sedation. For the first few weeks he was kept in a hospital with Aryeh Zalmanovich, 86. They formed a “special bond.” Hamas killed Aryeh in the hospital while he was next to Farhan.
1. Hamas is solely responsible for murdering the Israeli hostages
A Hamas leader recently instructed Palestinian terrorists to resume suicide bombings and the terror group specifically instructed its guards to kill any hostages if the IDF was closing in. This directive was issued after Israel successfully rescued four hostages from Palestinian homes in June. These examples demonstrate the Hamas commitment to terrorism, depravity and cruelty. The execution of these hostages is not isolated, but part of a broader campaign of violence that Hamas leverages to further its agenda. These acts are intentional, calculated moves designed to pressure Israel and manipulate global opinion in favor its extremist goals.
2. World leaders repeatedly apply double standards to Israel
Israel’s prime minister: “We’re asked to make concessions? What message does this send Hamas? It says, kill more hostages. Murder more hostages and you will get more concessions. The pressure internationally must be directed at these killers! At Hamas. Not at Israel.”
Hamas terrorists intentionally executed six innocent civilians in cold blood. As U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres stated: “Who gets blamed? Everyone but Hamas.” Many world leaders and organizations applied a persistent and dangerous double standard. They shifted their blame from the perpetrator to the victim – condemning Israel. Echoing Hamas propaganda emboldens the Iran-backed terror group to abduct more hostages. This bias undermines Israel’s fundamental right to defend its citizens. Americans were not blamed for the 9/11 attacks. Why is it so hard for leaders to condemn these brutal murders? The only crime these young adults committed was attending a music festival. Hamas leaders must be held accountable and the terror group destroyed.
3. Hamas terrorists are no different than ISIS and Al Qaeda barbarians
Hamas terrorists operate with the same brutal ideology as the world’s most lethal terror groups that have targeted Americans. The executions of hostages, the intentional targeting of civilians and the use of terrorism all align Hamas with these barbaric organizations. Just as the world united against ISIS and Al Qaeda, leaders must recognize the true nature of Hamas and reject its attempts to mask terrorism as ‘resistance.’ Hamas is not interested in partnering with Israel for a two-state solution, its stated goal is a ‘Final Solution’ to destroy Israel and kill Jews.
4. Hamas exploits every opportunity to damage Israel’s image
Hamas has a clear, calculated strategy: cast Israel as the aggressor while downplaying its own terror crimes – a devious publicity stunt with damaging, long-term ramifications for both Israelis and Palestinians. Hamas still stores weapons in schools, mosques and hospitals, launches attacks from civilian areas and builds a vast network of underground tunnels – then blames Israel for all resulting casualties. This strategy is not limited to Gaza: Hamas also manipulates media narratives and international sentiment to vilify Israel. Hamas sacrifices its own citizens, manipulates journalists, leverages social media to spread lies and garner sympathy while inciting violence around the world. The terror group exploits every opportunity to advance its destructive agenda: destroying the Jewish state rather than building a prosperous Palestinian state in Gaza.
There were many examples of media bias, describing the hostages as having been “found dead,” “has died” or “recovered” and using passive language rather than stating the obvious: ‘Hamas killed Israeli American.’ (Eitan Fischberger, X)
A. Use this content to help educate others
Take active steps to educate your family, friends and colleagues about the Iranian-backed war against Israel and America. Use information from this edition and share relevant news articles and videos to help provide a deeper understanding of the war’s complexities. Conversations are an opportunity to educate and inform.
B. Call out misinformation and verify what your read, see and hear
Do not blindly trust Wikipedia and other sources of information that can be easily written or influenced by anonymous and biased individuals and organizations. The same people marching down streets waving Hamas flags and calling for Israel to be destroyed are engaged in their own war against Israel on Wikipedia. When you come across misinformation in the news, consider correcting it via a letter to the editor of a newspaper or by tagging news organizations on social media. Media reporting watchdogs:
HonestReporting and CAMERA (Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis)
C. Stay informed and educated about the real stories
There are several options for learning more about what is happening in Israel:
American Jewish News sources:
Jewish News Syndicate (JNS) | Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) | The Algemeiner | Jewish Insider | Forward
Israeli News Sources (in English):
Times of Israel | The Jerusalem Post | Ynet News | i24 News | Israel National News, Arutz 7 | Israel HaYom | Ha’aretz
Former 17-year-old Hostage: ‘Hamas hated me for being Jewish’
Hamas terrorists seized Agam Goldstein-Almog, 17, on 10/7. Agam was terrorized during her captivity by Gaza civilians and Hamas terrorists and afterwards by anti-Jewish bigots online. She recently wrote about her experiences in The Washington Post:
My Hamas guards hated me for being Jewish, so I was coerced into reciting Islamic prayers and made to wear a hijab. I was forbidden from mourning my father and sister. Six female hostages I met in a tunnel told me about men with guns who came into their shower rooms and touched their bodies. They have been held for more than 300 days, without their mothers.
One of my guards told me that he would find me a husband in Gaza, and that I would live the rest of my life as a chained slave-wife. Shortly before my release, a guard made a point of telling us that, in the next war, Hamas would return to kill us. There would be no hostage-taking, no more dealmaking.
I have watched as the movement for a Gaza ceasefire sometimes devolves into full-throated support for Hamas and the hounding of Jews in public spaces. I’m sure my kidnappers still hate me, but when American students call for ‘intifada’ or chant in praise of Hamas terrorists, I’m reminded that many other people do, too.
Click here to read her full story.
Israeli and Jewish Paralympians Triumph, Muslim Opponents Withdraw
The Israeli Paralympic team has already won 7 medals – 4 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze – and is ranked 15th overall. The team’s highwater mark was 69 medals, including 40 golds, at the 1976 Toronto Paralympics, placing the team in third. Tel Aviv hosted the Games in 1968.
The rowing pair of Shahar Milfelder – who suffered bone cancer as a teen – and Saleh Shahin – who was seriously wounded in a terror attack – teamed up to win bronze in the mixed doubles sculls. This Jewish and Druze rowing pair symbolize the vibrancy of Israel’s multiculturalism. Woman’s rower Moran Samuel won bronze in 2016, upgraded it to a silver in 2021 and now is an Olympic champion at age 42 – she suffered a spinal stroke 18 years ago. American 19-year-old world record high jumper Ezra Frech – born missing parts of a leg and fingers – won gold.
Unfortunately, there were a few examples of unsportsmanlike behavior. A Tunisian Paralympian withdrew from boccia, a bowling sport, to avoid a game against an Israeli and an Iranian withdrew rather than facing Israeli Arab taekwondo athlete Adnan Milad.
Sir Ludwig Guttmann – a Jewish doctor who fled Nazi Germany in 1939 – is credited as the founder of the Paralympic Games. He created the Stoke Mandeville Games in England after World War II for wounded veterans. The Games were held alongside the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, now recognized as the first Paralympic Games.
Stories Impacting American Jews
Stories Impacting the U.S. and Israel
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