The word “evil” doesn’t adequately convey the horrific nature of the crimes that have been committed against the Bibas family and the families of the (at least) 37 other children that Hamas killed on and since October 7, 2023.
Trump needs to understand that making empty threats — especially to terrorists — is counterproductive.
The entire Bibas family was kidnapped on that date. Yarden, the father, Shiri, the mother and two little boys: four-year-old Ariel and his nine-month-old brother Kfir.
Forensic evidence from the bodies shows that the two children were murdered in November 2023 about a month after they were taken. They were strangled. Their bodies were then mutilated in an attempt to make it appear that, as Hamas claimed, they were killed in an Israeli airstrike.
Stop there for a minute. What kind of minds are so consumed with hate that they can compel people to strangle two little children and mutilate their bodies? Anyone in our society that committed such sickening crimes would be judged to be criminally insane. Yet that is what passes for normal in the ranks of Hamas and, apparently, the civilians of Gaza.
Please keep in mind that no one in Gaza — not one civilian or any Hamas member — released any hostage (Israeli or American or Thai) from captivity until Hamas was ready to make a propaganda show of the release.
Yarden Bibas was released earlier in February. He was told by Hamas that he was going home to his wife and kids. It was only when he returned to Israel that he learned that Shiri and the two little boys were still being held. He must have remained hopeful that they were still alive. That hope was quashed last week.
When the boys’ bodies were returned a few days ago, Hamas hosted a parade in celebration of their deaths. Hamas also said they were also releasing Shiri’s body and that was, of course, untrue. The body of a yet unidentified woman was released. Shiri, like her sons, was murdered by Hamas in captivity. Her body was returned only two days ago.
We are used to blaming terrorists (and others including Russian troops) for war crimes. It’s what they do. But murdering little children — really, any civilian — should not only bring blame but retribution.
Blame should not only affect those of Hamas and Gaza who permitted these crimes. Blame attaches to any person in the U.S., Europe, or elsewhere when they demonstrate carrying the “Palestinian” flag. Blame is attached to Mahmoud Abbas and his Palestinian Authority for supporting Hamas. And to our so-called allies in Qatar who coddled Hamas’s leaders for a year.
Israel is faced with a never-ending crisis of hostage taking by Hamas and Hizballah. They are caught in a never-ending dilemma of continuing the war Hamas started or getting the hostages released. The Israelis have released too many Hamas members and others who have already been convicted of crimes against Israeli citizens in exchange for the hostages. This allows Hamas to claim victory and continue to control the Gaza Strip. The Israelis should make clear that no more convicted prisoners are going to be released in any event.
Hamas, as the Israelis have said, should face hell for their crimes. No Hamas member should be left alive.
The murder of the hostages — including Americans — should end the cease-fire until all hostages have been released. President Trump promised to unleash hell on Hamas if they didn’t. We’re waiting.
Trump needs to understand that making empty threats — especially to terrorists — is counterproductive.
At this point, Trump seems consumed with the desire to end the Russian war in Ukraine. He has already given up too much — that Ukraine won’t join NATO and that Zelensky will have to concede land Russia conquered in the war — to make a good deal to save Ukraine’s sovereignty. He must remember that Israel is still at war with Hamas and make no more threats against Hamas that he isn’t prepared to carry out.
Israel can’t end the cease-fire while Hamas still holds hostages, including the bodies of those it murdered. Hamas will murder more hostages if the Israelis choose to resume the fight.
Hamas deserves no mercy, a fact it proved by the October 2023 attack when it murdered civilians, burned entire families to death and raped women as a tactic of war. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu wants to eradicate Hamas but that is too much to hope for while Hamas holds hostages.
Israel Has Few Options
The Israelis — and we — are left with a situation that is impossible to resolve. Hamas controls Israel’s options as was demonstrated yesterday.
Consider how weak Netanyahu’s response was to Hamas’s propaganda spectacles on releasing hostages. On Sunday morning, his office released a statement that said, “In light of Hamas’s repeated violations, including the ceremonies that humiliate our hostages and the cynical exploitation of our hostages for propaganda purposes, it has been decided to delay the release of terrorists that was planned for yesterday until the release of the next hostages has been assured, and without the humiliating ceremonies,”
Netanyahu — who is known for his strength of purpose — cannot do more than protest Hamas’s humiliation of hostages. He knows that the protest will have no effect.
Hamas claims victory and, despite its condemnation by some Islamic clerics, it won’t mend its ways.
Both the Grand Muftis of Saudi Arabia and the UAE have condemned what Hamas has done. The Grand Mufti of the UAE said, “Hamas has brought shame on Islam on a level not seen before.” But, as we have come to expect, not a word of condemnation has come from Iran which controls Hamas.
Until the link between Iran and Hamas is broken, there can be no peace for Israel. And that link won’t be broken while the Iranian regime remains.
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