SHAHAR AZANI: The hostage deal shows that Israel values ​​life and Hamas only values ​​death

In 2011, Israel struck a deal with Hamas to release 1,027 terrorists in exchange for the return of a kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit. Among those freed was one, Yahya Sinwarwho will continue to plan the massacre of October 7, 2023, which cost the lives of more than a thousand innocent people, raining death and destruction on the entire region.

HAMAS RELEASED 3 HOSTAGES ACCORDING TO ISRAELI Ceasefire Agreement

As I was waiting at the San Francisco airport to board my flight, I could hear the subtle crying of a woman nearby. Her phone was tuned to Israeli TV and at first glance return of hostagestears began to flow. On Sunday, Romi Gonen (24), Emily Damari (28) and Doron Steinbrecher (31) were returning home, released from captivity by the evil Hamas in Gaza. Many hearts and tearful eyes surrounded them in Israel and around the world. This is the first phase of a harrowing six-week deal in which 33 Israeli hostages are due to be freed after more than 470 days in Hamas tunnels in Gaza. Although this first phase of the deal is over, there will still be 64 Israeli and American hostages in Gaza, some dead, some alive.

The price Israel has paid for this job is high. Thousands of terrorists and convicted murderers will be released from Israeli prisons despite being convicted of the most horrific crimes imaginable. In 2002, during lunch, a bomb exploded in Frank Sinatra’s cafeteria at the Hebrew University of Mt. Scopus in Jerusalem. Nine people died and 85 were injured. Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack. One of those victims was David (Diego) Ladowski, of blessed memory, who was my colleague in the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs. David joined the Ministry’s prestigious diplomatic cadet program while attending a postgraduate course in public administration. On the day of the bombing, he went to the university to hand in his final paper. His killer, Waa’l Qassam, the Hamas terrorist mastermind of this heinous attack, is one of those to be freed.

In one of his notorious speeches, the former leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, illuminated the fundamental difference between Israel and its enemies: “They (Israel) love life,” he said of Israel, “while we worship death.” That statement rang true for the world to see when the deal between Hamas and Israel went into effect, and split screens showed the celebration of life in Israel contrasted with the glorification of death in Gaza.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINIONS

However, the release of terrorists is not only a matter of morality and pain for crimes committed in the past. This mass release of agents of death into the open air could very well cost more innocent lives in the future, as evidenced by the October 7th massacre, one that will forever be etched in Israel’s collective memory. Hamas’ war crimes and crimes against humanity that day included murder, torture, rape and abduction of children, men, women and babies. Baby Kfir Bibas, the youngest of the hostages, who was taken when he was only 9 months old, celebrated his second birthday on Saturday. Second birthday in Hamas captivity. He and his family should be among those released.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The Israeli Health Ministry’s report on the hostages returned in the first deal, after 52 days of captivity, included details of horrific sexual assaults on children, charring of flesh with hot irons and torture of the elderly. What will Romi, Emily and Doron say about their much longer time in the hands of pure evil? We dare not imagine, but we know we will win. Israel’s power is life, and life will conquer all.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE FROM SHAHAR AZANI