Following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu laid out his primary aims in the war with Hamas; free and return the hostages, dismantle and defeat Hamas, create stability and peace for Israeli citizens, especially at the Gaza border. Today’s news has three articles relating to the hostages and their current state:
• Concerning the hostages, this is day 410 in captivity. That fact has become a bone of contention for the detractors and opponents of the current Likud government. For example, former Prime Minister Lapid criticized Bibi that he is not doing enough to free the hostages.
• Another article informs that U.S. hostage victims’ families have filed a lawsuit against Iran and “an array of linked terror groups” based on evidence of secret documents, according to their attorneys, showing Iran’s Revolutionary Guard funneling millions of dollars to Hamas.
• Finally, a meeting held by the heads of Shin Bet, Ronen Bar, Israeli Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, Mossad Director David Barnea, and the Israel Defense Forces hostage point man Major-General (res.) Nitzan Alon discussed “advancing the efforts to return the hostages.”
The figure “Day 410” jumps out at me. The hostages and their loved ones are living with this situation daily. Their fate should not be used as a political ploy. Rather their fate, as it has been, must become a rallying cry to secure their freedom. The end of the war has a clear solution, free the hostages. Until that happens the war and the hostages captivity will continue.
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem” and the freeing of the hostages.
(Source: The Times of Israel)
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