Moshe Raab, PhDis a former hostage who endured the harrowing experience of being held captive by terrorists in 1970. He understands firsthand the devastating impact of terrorism. His release came only after decisive military action was taken. He came on Aliyah in 1997 with his family. He is software development consultant.
We hear non-stop calls from some of the hostage families to resume the cease fire at any cost and negotiate with Hamas for the release of their loved ones. Some take part in the raucous protests staged by the Israeli Left. They fear for the safety and lives from the possibility of inadvertent explosions or even retribution by the evil Hamas terrorists. One certainly cannot fault them or their pleas that come from the heart and are the result of prolonged emotional distress.
I for one, as a former hostage, having been hijacked by Arab terrorists to the Jordanian desert in Black September 1970, can certainly empathize with these fears and concerns. I can still feel the rocking of our plane from side to side on the desert floor as the vile terrorists loaded our plane with explosives. I remember the fear of seeing machine guns mounted on jeeps and carried by terrorists surrounding our plane and wondering if a stray bullet or a carelessly thrown cigarette butt would ignite the explosives-laden airplane.
However, I try to look at the current situation from an analytical perspective. The definition of insanity, attributed to Albert Einstein, is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.
Numerous ceasefires were in effect prior to October 7th. Much humanitarian aid was provided to Gazans through various UN and other organizations. Did that prevent Hamas from arming and training its army of terrorists? Did that prevent their killing 1200 Israelis and taking over 250 hostages on October 7th? Did it prevent the “non-involved” and “innocent” Gazans from brutal acts of rape, murder, burning of babies alive, dismembering and mutilating bodies of men women and children?
Even after the October 7th massacre, we did not invade Gaza until October 27. That is, Israel gave Hamas three weeks to return the hostages. None were returned.
After a month of military pressure, On November 24, 2023, Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire in which 105 hostages were released and Israel allowed humanitarian aid to enter. Then Hamas broke the ceasefire, again, when it fired rockets at Sderot.
After a year of military pressure, although reduced by threats and non-supply of arms from the Biden administration, but then increasing pressure from the incoming Trump administration, another ceasefire was agreed to starting on January 19 of this year. By the end of February, 25 living and 8 bodies of dead hostages were returned. The price?Israel released about 1900 Palestinian Arab terrorists from its jails. Hundreds of trucks containing humanitarian aid were allowed into Gaza each day for a total of 42,000 trucks. Water, electricity, and even fuel was provided. Israel facilitated the transporting of Gazans for medical treatment to third countries.
Hamas stole and then collected a “tax” of between 20,000 and 50,000 shekels for each truck of humanitarian aid. Each fuel truck was worth about 100,000 shekels to Hamas. That amounts to approximately 3 billion shekels in cash.
But perhaps more important, for the last three weeks of the ceasefire, from the end of February until March 18, NO HOSTAGES WERE RELEASED. In other words, there was a ceasefire, humanitarian aid, water electricity fuel for the most part continued to flow. How many hostages were released during this time of no pressure on Hamas? NONE! Moreover, they taunted us about releasing the one living American and the bodies of the dead Americans.
Released hostage Eli Sharabi told the United Nations what Hamas is doing with the humanitarian aid. I quote: "I know that you discuss the humanitarian situation in Gaza very often. But let me tell you, as an eyewitness, I saw what happened to that aid. Hamas stole it, I saw Hamas terrorists carrying boxes with the U.N. and UNRWA emblems on them into the tunnel. Dozens and dozens of boxes, paid for by your governments, feeding terrorists who tortured me and murdered my family." He continued: "When you speak of humanitarian aid, remember this: Hamas eats like kings while hostages starve. Hamas steals from civilians. Hamas blocks aid from reaching those who truly need it."
In other words, Hamas uses the humanitarian aid and the cash that they extort to feed their terrorists, recruit and train more terrorists to their ranks, including teenagers and young children, all while ignoring their own people and continuing to starve and torture our family and friends under their detention.
It is clear that Hamas is not going to release hostages out of the goodness of their heart. They are not going to release the hostages to show good will. They have not in the past and will not in the future. They have no intention of voluntarily releasing any the hostages.
All the hostages that were taken when I was hijacked in 1970 were released unharmed after King Hussain declared war on the PFLP. He did not provide them with water, electricity, or other humanitarian aid. He offered them two choices: death or the release of all the hostages and surrender. They opted for the latter after only nine days!
Repeating the ceasefires, the provision of humanitarian aid and showing our goodwill will not provide a different result.
Repeating all of these and expecting a different result from Hamas is the definition of insanity.
One must conclude that it is time for a different result. A result that will free all our remaining hostages, alive and dead, at one time without needing to release terrorists from our prisons. A result where my wife and I will no longer need to, while spending Shabbat with our children and grandchildren, work out a plan as to who grabs what child while running to the shelter, mamad. A plan where we no longer need to fear being taken hostage, being blown up on buses, being shot at on the road or ever needing to use our mamads again.
A different result requires a different plan. A plan of maximum pressure where the evil monsters realize that it is in their best interest to surrender, release all the remaining hostages at once unharmed.
It is time to destroy all our enemies so that we can all live in peace and security in our home.
Am Yisrael Chai VeKayam