In 2011, Israel reached an agreement with Hamas to release 1,027 terrorists in exchange for the return of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit. Yahya Sinwar, one of those released, went on to mastermind the massacre of October 7, 2023, which claimed the lives of more than a thousand innocent people and brought uncertainty to the entire region. Comes death and destruction.

Hamas releases 3 hostages under Israeli ceasefire agreement

As I was waiting to board my flight at the San Francisco airport, I heard the faint cry of a woman nearby. Her cell phone was tuned to Israeli television, and she burst into tears when she saw the hostages returning for the first time. On Sunday, Romi Gonen, 24, Emily Damari, 28, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31, were killed by the evil Hamas in Released from captivity in Gaza and on his way home. The hearts and tears of many in Israel and around the world are over them. It was the first phase of a harrowing six-week deal that would have seen 33 Israeli hostages freed after spending more than 470 days in Hamas tunnels in Gaza. Even with the end of the first phase of the deal, there will still be 64 hostages in the Gaza Strip, some dead and some alive.

The price Israel paid for the deal was high. Thousands of terrorists and convicted murderers will be released from Israeli prisons despite being convicted of the most horrific crimes imaginable. In 2002, a bomb exploded during lunchtime in the Frank Sinatra cafeteria at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem's Mount Scopus campus. 9 people died and 85 were injured. Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack. One of the victims was David (Diego) Ladowski, a colleague of mine in the Israeli Foreign Ministry who has a fond memory. While studying for a postgraduate degree in Public Administration, David joined the Department of Foreign Affairs' prestigious Diplomatic Cadet Scheme. On the day of the explosion, he went to college to submit his last paper. His killer, Waal Qassam, the Hamas terrorist mastermind behind the heinous attack, is among those set to be released.

In an infamous speech, former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah spelled out the fundamental difference between Israel and its enemies: “They (Israel) love life,” he said of Israel, “and we Then love death." As the deal between Hamas and Israel came into effect, the statement rang true around the world, with split screens showing celebrations of life in Israel contrasted with glorification of death in Gaza.

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However, the release of terrorists is not just a matter of morality and pain over past crimes. This flood of lethal agents into the free air will likely result in the loss of many more innocent lives, as the massacre of October 7 demonstrated, an event that will forever be etched in Israel's collective memory. War crimes and crimes against humanity committed by Hamas that day included murder, torture, rape and abduction of children, men, women and infants. The youngest of the kidnapped cubs, cub Kfir Bibas, is just 9 months old and celebrated his second birthday on Saturday. Spending his second birthday in Hamas captivity. He and his family should be among those released.

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The Israeli Health Ministry's report on the hostages returned from the first deal after 52 days in captivity included details of horrific sexual assaults on children, burning of flesh with hot irons and torture of the elderly. What will Romy, Emily and Doron share as they face the long years of facing the hands of evil? We couldn’t imagine it, but we knew we would overcome it. Israel’s strength is life, and life will conquer all.

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