Recent footage showing a hostage, starved, broken and forced to dig his own grave, offers a horrifying glimpse into their operations. Other images reveal victims bearing clear signs of torture—emaciated and dehumanized. These aren’t just shocking moments; they are the truth of what Hamas represents: A ruthless regime that profits from pain.
In today’s world, photos and videos spread faster than any news story. They can capture raw human suffering in a way words never could. We see the faces of Gaza’s civilians bearing witness to Hamas’s brutality, too. We see children hollow-eyed with fear, women clinging to life, men bruised and beaten, each one telling a story of pain and desperation under Hamas’s rule. But for every image we see, there are countless others suffering in silence, locked away in tunnels or makeshift prisons, hidden from view and stripped of their dignity.
Yet in this digital age, the truth is often manipulated. Some of the most circulated images claiming to show the brutality in Gaza at the hands of the Israel Defense Forces have later been debunked, taken from other regions or fabricated entirely. These falsehoods feed the Hamas propaganda machine. When media outlets carelessly repeat these lies, the damage is already done long before the retractions arrive. While mainstream media is quick and eager to report on this, the plight of the hostages, videoed by Hamas as well, receives little to no attention.
The result is a shattered trust in journalism, and a deeper fog of war that allows terror to flourish in the shadows.
Any notion that Hamas should have a role in Gaza’s future is not only naïve, it is dangerously irresponsible. Including Hamas in any form of leadership would be like inviting the Nazis to help rebuild post-war Europe. Their ideology is rooted in destruction, not development. Instead of building hope, they trap their people in a cycle of poverty, fear and death.
Peace cannot coexist with terrorism. So long as Hamas holds power, Gaza’s people will remain imprisoned by violence. Every moment they remain in control is another moment justice and stability are denied to Gazan and Israeli civilians.
In stark contrast to the silence and moral ambiguity of many global leaders, figures like President Donald Trump and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio have shown bold clarity. They stand firm in rejecting Hamas’s legitimacy, demand the immediate release of all hostages, alive and dead, and refuse to soften their stance in the face of terror. Their leadership exemplifies what the moment demands: moral clarity and unwavering resolve.
Too many world leaders, obsessed with political calculation, have failed to act. This silence is not neutrality, it’s complicity.
This moment requires more than just political will. We call on religious leaders of all faiths—Pope Leo XIV, Muslim leaders, evangelical pastors, Jewish figures and others—to come together in shared outrage and shared purpose. The hostages are not political pawns; they are human beings whose lives hang in the balance.
Humanitarian organizations like the International Committee of the Red Cross and Red Crescent must be empowered to deliver aid, food, medicine and other essentials to those suffering in captivity. This is not a regional issue; it’s a human-rights crisis that demands a global response. Neutrality in the face of evil is not virtue; it is surrender.
Have we become so desensitized that images of tortured civilians and terrorized families no longer move us to action? The world’s silence is deafening. We must ask ourselves: If not now, when? If not us, who?
We are standing at a moral crossroads. To ignore what is happening in Gaza, to look away from the true nature of Hamas, is to forsake our shared humanity. The real truths are not buried in policy papers or press releases; they live in the faces of the victims, in the voices of grieving families and in the hollow eyes of hostages still waiting for rescue.
Every day we delay, every moment of hesitation allows more suffering. The cost of inaction is measured in lives lost, dignity denied and a future destroyed. We must stand united, not as political factions, but as human beings. Against Hamas and for the innocent.
The real truth is this: We must not allow Hamas lies to become truths.
Mike Huckabee is the U.S. ambassador to Israel.
Yehuda Kaploun is the U.S. special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism with the rank of ambassador-at-large designee.
Mark Walker is the U.S. ambassador-at-large designee.