The following excerpt is taken from the new book &#8220;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Proportionality-Israels-Just-Gaza/dp/B0F841ZJTX">Beyond Proportionality: Israel&#8217;s Just War In Gaza,</a>&#8221; by Thane Rosenbaum (Wicked Son/Post Hill Press, May 2025).
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<h3>INTRODUCTION: “J’accuse!” — The Case Against Israel</h3>
At the turn of the nineteenth century, a political scandal in France galvanized public opinion all over the world. Known as the Dreyfus Affair, at its root was the inexorable display and mass hatred of Jews. This same antisemitic fervor, which a few decades later would materialize into the Holocaust, had been around for two millennia. Occasionally, it would manifest itself in pogroms and mass expulsions. Along the way, it went from latent to lethal, and emanated from a lie.
This time, however, the antisemitism was organized, sanctioned by the government, fueled by the press, and openly embraced by many people who regarded themselves as highly cultivated and civilized. Artists and intellectuals took a special interest in joining the mob. And it came pre-packaged with an easily disproved conspiracy theory involving a treasonous Jewish military officer.
Jews in France had long enjoyed the full panoply of civil rights. Indeed, during the French Revolution, France had become the first European nation to emancipate its Jewish population. For nearly a century, French Jews had participated in every facet of cosmopolitan life among the professional classes and cultural elite. But suddenly, they found themselves facing a backlash unlike anything they had experienced before.
The Dreyfus Affair made the unspoken hatred of Jews not just acceptable but fashionable. Seemingly overnight, Jews in France went from being socially accepted and having a sense of security to being on the receiving end of wild denunciations for their clannishness, duplicity, greed, and dual loyalty.
And much like Nazi Germany, the nerve center of these societal convulsions burned brightest on university campuses, in the pages of the mainstream press, and wherever artists and writers congregated. The fact that it all originated from an easily disprovable lie was of little concern. The case against Dreyfus was merely a pretext to something far worse.
<div id="attachment_942309" style="width: 417px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Proportionality-Israels-Just-Gaza/dp/B0F841ZJTX"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-942309" class="size-large wp-image-942309" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/MixCollage-02-Jul-2025-12-29-PM-7049-407x576.jpg" alt="Credit: Post Hill Press/Wicked Son" width="407" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/MixCollage-02-Jul-2025-12-29-PM-7049-407x576.jpg 407w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/MixCollage-02-Jul-2025-12-29-PM-7049-212x300.jpg 212w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/MixCollage-02-Jul-2025-12-29-PM-7049-768x1086.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/MixCollage-02-Jul-2025-12-29-PM-7049-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/MixCollage-02-Jul-2025-12-29-PM-7049-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/MixCollage-02-Jul-2025-12-29-PM-7049-scaled.jpg 1810w" sizes="(max-width: 407px) 100vw, 407px" /></a>Credit: Post Hill Press/Wicked Son</div>
Captain Alfred Dreyfus was an officer on the French military general staff accused of passing state secrets to Germany — the despised aggressor nation that during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 had humiliated France and annexed Alsace and Moselle. Someone had to be blamed, and Dreyfus, a high-ranking Jewish officer, fully assimilated yet perceived as a foreigner, was an easy fall guy even though there was no actual evidence of his wrongdoing. The French legal system relied upon forged documents — manufactured by military counterintelligence — to falsify his guilt. The letters were not even in Dreyfus’ handwriting.
That’s not to say there was no spy within the ranks of senior military officers. But it wasn’t Captain Dreyfus. Two years after he was court-martialed for treason and shipped off to Devil’s Island, a notorious tropical hellhole where many prisoners died of disease and malnutrition, the French Army uncovered evidence implicating the true culprit — Major Walsin Esterhazy, who had sold secret documents to the German Embassy. But by then the nation was awash in anti-Jewish bigotry. Dreyfus should have been exonerated instantly. Instead, he was returned to France to face a new trial, where he was once again convicted and given an enhanced sentence.
Newspapers around the world covered the trial and its aftermath. A slogan representative of the times referred to Dreyfus as “the Jew who is everywhere but belongs nowhere.” It should come as no surprise to learn that the Dreyfus Affair roughly coincided with the publication of The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, another forged document, this one alleging a Jewish conspiracy to conquer the world.
Events shifted dramatically when one of France’s leading intellectuals, the novelist and playwright Émile Zola, wrote a lengthy front-page essay — famously titled “J’Accuse&#8230;!” — in which he charged the French government and legal system with a coverup. Zola wrote, “Here&#8230;are the facts which explain how a miscarriage of justice could be made; and the moral evidence, the financial circumstances of Dreyfus, the absence of reason, his continual cry of innocence&#8230;the hunting for the ‘dirty Jews,’ which dishonours our time.” Given the public embarrassment to the nation’s institutions, Zola himself was brought to trial and convicted of libel. He fled to London.
Eventually, the obsession with Dreyfus dissipated. The French government and its people finally came to recognize that they had been handed a convenient excuse to shift blame away from France’s military and rest it instead with a familiar villain. National regret ensued, and by 1906, Dreyfus was exonerated, and his rank restored.
But anyone familiar with these events can’t help but see the parallel with what is happening today. The global reaction to Israel’s eighteen-month-long war in Gaza has had many of the same elements: heightened emotions, irrational arguments, distorted histories, the rejection of obvious truths, forged documents, falsified facts, misapplied laws, antisemitic stereotypes, and worldwide anti-Jewish rage. But instead of a single Jewish officer serving as the focal point, this time it was the Jewish state, and its professional military, who stand falsely accused — and with much the same imagery. Thus, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is often depicted as drinking the blood of Palestinian children.
Such fabrications are all the more paradoxical given the events that preceded and fully justified Israel’s retaliatory war against Hamas. These sensationalized condemnations completely overlook and ignore what started the conflict in the first place. On the morning of October 7, 2023, southern Israel was invaded — by land, air, and sea — by six thousand Palestinians from Gaza. Most were terrorists with Hamas and Islamic Jihad, but many were ordinary civilians. It was a planned and coordinated attack that lasted several hours and targeted the concert-goers at the Nova Music Festival, most of whom were young peace-loving Israelis.
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<div class="a-cardui-content a-cardui-uninitialized _about-the-author-card_carouselItemStyles_peekableContent__hWM3i" data-a-max-height="80">
Thane Rosenbaum is an essayist, law professor, and author of both fiction and nonfiction titles, including the novels, &#8220;How Sweet It Is!&#8221;,&#8221; The Stranger Within Sarah Stein,&#8221; &#8220;The Golems of Gotham,&#8221; &#8220;Second Hand Smoke,&#8221; and &#8220;Elijah Visible.&#8221; His articles, reviews and essays appear frequently in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, CNN, Huffington Post and Daily Beast, among other national publications.
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This excerpt from &#8220;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Proportionality-Israels-Just-Gaza/dp/B0F841ZJTX">Beyond Proportionality: Israel&#8217;s Just War In Gaza,</a>&#8221; by Thane Rosenbaum is published by permission from Post Hill Press/Wicked Son.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

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When Lies Turn Deadly: The Century-Old Script Behind Today’s Anti-Israel Fury

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October 7

Israel Defense Forces announced on Saturday that Hakham Muhammad Issa Al-Issa — one of the Hamas terrorists who helped to plan the October 7 massacre and train those who carried it out — had been &#8220;eliminated.&#8221;
&#8220;ELIMINATED: eliminated Hakham Muhammad Issa Al-Issa — one of the founders of Hamas’ military wing. Issa led Hamas’ force build-up, training, and planned the October 7 massacre,&#8221; read the X post announcing the news. &#8220;As Head of Combat Support, he advanced aerial &amp; naval attacks against Israelis. The IDF &amp; ISA will continue to locate and eliminate all terrorists involved in the October 7 massacre.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🔴 ELIMINATED: eliminated Hakham Muhammad Issa Al-Issa—one of the founders of Hamas’ military wing.
Issa led Hamas’ force build-up, training, and planned the October 7 massacre. As Head of Combat Support, he advanced aerial &amp; naval attacks against Israelis.
The IDF &amp; ISA will… <a href="https://t.co/pzf7DgQc19">pic.twitter.com/pzf7DgQc19</a>
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) <a href="https://twitter.com/IDF/status/1939026068499001408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The post included a photo of Issa and several key details about who he was and what he did for the terrorist organization that was based in Gaza.
According to the post, he &#8220;was a key source of knowledge and one of the last remaining senior Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip,&#8221; and he had &#8220;played a significant role in the planning and execution of the October 7th massacre.&#8221;
The IDF also noted that Issa &#8220;was one of the founders of the Hamas military wing&#8221; and had been instrumental in building up the forces in Gaza, where he also &#8220;served as the Head of the Training Headquarters&#8221; and was working to help rebuild operational capabilities that had been compromised by the ongoing war.
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A longer statement from the IDF read, in part, &#8220;Yesterday (Friday), in a joint activity, the IDF and ISA struck and eliminated the terrorist Hakham Muhammad Issa Al-Issa in the area of Sabra in Gaza City. Hakham Muhammad Issa Al-Issa was a senior figure in Hamas’ military wing and was considered one of the founders of the terrorist organization. His current role was Head of Combat Support Headquarters in Hamas’ military wing.&#8221;
&#8220;Throughout the war, and over the past few days, Issa served as Head of the Combat Support Headquarters, and advanced aerial and naval terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF troops operating in the Gaza Strip,&#8221; the statement continued.
&#8220;The IDF and ISA will continue to operate to locate and eliminate all terrorists from the different terrorist organizations who took part in the brutal October 7th massacre,&#8221; the IDF concluded.

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October 7th Mastermind ‘ELIMINATED,’ Israel Defense Forces Say

October 7th Mastermind 'ELIMINATED,' Israel Defense Forces Say

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In stark contrast to the battle cries of antisemites, and now the loud chorus of pundits defending Iran and its terror network, our message as Christians is this: preserve Israel and all she defends. As friends of Israel — of freedom, democracy, human rights, holy and ancient tradition — our prayers in her defense must overwhelm the rockets aimed at her annihilation.
Right now, Israel’s enemies are loud. So her friends need to be louder. Because once again, Israel stands on the verge of destruction.
The Iranian regime has openly and repeatedly vowed to annihilate the State of Israel. Since the October 7 terror attacks, Iran-backed terrorists have wrought havoc, ruining their own country, Yemen, and others, while targeting Israeli civilians from afar. When their terrorist friends again launched dozens of rockets at Israel recently, with <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/world/houthi-missile-strikes-near-israeli-airport-after-evading-missile-defenses" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one landing at Ben Gurion Airport</a>, at least eight individuals were seriously wounded. Over the weekend, Iran launched more missiles at Israel — and not at military targets, but as is typical for Iran, at innocent civilians and young children.
And now, Iran has reached the brink of producing nuclear weapons. This is not a theory. This is a very real, existential threat.
We must say it clearly: there will be no second Holocaust. No more helplessness. No more October 7 massacres.
With Iran as unhinged as ever before, the State of Israel was reborn for such a time as this — to be a refuge, a free nation with the ability to protect and defend the Jewish people. Israel has the moral and sovereign right to defend itself against those who seek its destruction.
We must stand in solidarity with our Jewish brothers and sisters — not only because of shared values, but because of a shared God who calls us to be a light in the darkness. I am incredibly thankful for leaders like President Trump, who have stood firmly with Israel in its time of need. This is beyond politics and policies; this is about moral clarity. As followers of Christ, we are called to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, to stand against injustice, and to take action, proving that when we say, “Never again,” we mean it.
Our congregation and global partners have chosen to support the people of Israel by investing in the Northern Galilee Emergency Hospital, by donating to the construction of 800 safe houses throughout the Eshkol region, and by building other bomb shelters, civil defense centers, and psychological treatment centers throughout the country. But if you cannot donate funds, donate your voice to amplify our message of peace.
This is also a pivotal moment for Iran, particularly Iranian Christians. The global church must lift them up in prayer and find ways to support them right now. Perhaps this is the beginning of the end of the tyranny and violence they have faced in their own country. We pray that the freedom to preach the Gospel there will finally be possible and that Christians can practice their faith within Iran without fear.
As Christians, Scripture guides us more than any fleeting opinion of man. In Genesis 12:3, we read this about the historic nation of Israel: “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
So, our mandate is clear, and we must state it clearly: We will always stand side by side with our Jewish brothers and sisters, and we will always have their backs.
* * *
Pastor Jentezen Franklin is the senior pastor of Free Chapel and was recently appointed to President Trump&#8217;s <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/2025/05/president-donald-trump-names-advisory-board-members-to-the-religious-liverty-commission/">Religious Liberty Commission</a>. Each week, his television program, Kingdom Connection, is broadcast on major networks all over the world. He is also a New York Times best-selling author of several books.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

The Choice Is Crystal Clear: Christians Must Defend Israel As She Confronts Evil

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The Israel Defense Forces announced Wednesday that it recovered the bodies of two more Israeli hostages from Gaza.
The IDF announced that it recovered the body of 59-year-old Yair Yaakov from the Khan Yunis area of the Gaza Strip. The other hostage’s name has not yet been released.
Yaakov is believed to have been abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, 2023, by Islamic Jihad <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm263j1g2rmo">terrorists</a> and taken to Gaza, where his body has remained for over 600 days. In February 2024, the kibbutz announced that Yaakov had been murdered in captivity.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/american-hostage-edan-alexander-reunites-family?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=American+Hostage+Edan+Alexander+Reunites+With+Parents+After+584+Days+In+Hamas+Captivity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AMERICAN HOSTAGE EDAN ALEXANDER REUNITES WITH PARENTS AFTER 584 DAYS IN HAMAS CAPTIVITY</a>
His partner, Meirav Tal, and his children, Or and Yagil Yaakov—who were 12 and 16 at the time—were also taken, but were released in the November 2023 hostage agreement.
Three <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/idf-recovers-bodies-of-two-american-hostages-in-gaza?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=9&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=IDF+Recovers+Bodies+Of+Two+American+Hostages+In+Gaza">other bodies of hostages</a> were recovered in the past seven days, including Israeli-American couple Judith Weinstein-Haggai and Gadi Haggai, as well as Thai national Nattapong Pinta. The recoveries come as Israel and Hamas continue to negotiate a ceasefire, with Hamas using hostage bodies as a bargaining chip.
The body of the father of three was recovered by the IDF troops of the Southern Command and underwent an identification procedure by the National Institute of Forensic Medicine in cooperation with the Israel Police, according to the IDF.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/internet-trolls-convince-themselves-that-video-of-gazans-cheering-u-s-aid-is-fake?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Internet+Trolls+Convince+Themselves+That+Video+Of+Gazans+Cheering+U.S.+Aid+Is+Fake" target="_blank" rel="noopener">INTERNET TROLLS CONVINCE THEMSELVES THAT VIDEO OF GAZANS CHEERING U.S. AID IS FAKE</a>
“Together with all citizens of Israel, my wife and I convey our heartfelt condolences to the families that have lost what is dearest to them,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement. “I thank the fighters and commanders for another successful operation in the sacred mission to return our hostages.”
The return of the two bodies brings the total number of hostages remaining in Gaza to 53.
“We will neither rest nor be silent until we return home all of our hostages – the living and the deceased,” Netanyahu added. 
About a quarter of Kibbutz Nir Oz’s 400 residents were murdered or taken hostage by terrorists on October 7.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/donald-trump-has-a-recommendation-for-greta-thunberg-after-her-selfie-flotilla?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Donald+Trump+Has+A+Recommendation+For+Greta+Thunberg+After+Her+%E2%80%98Selfie+Flotilla%E2%80%99" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DONALD TRUMP HAS A RECOMMENDATION FOR GRETA THUNBERG AFTER HER ‘SELFIE FLOTILLA’</a>
Yagil mourned his father <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DKxVrbDojwt/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading">on Instagram</a> on Wednesday.
 “I’m sad to say this – I’m already waiting for your funeral. I knew this day would come,” the teenager wrote. “Thank you to the IDF and <a href="https://www.jpost.com/tags/shin-bet">Shin Bet</a> forces for the rescue. I hope we get the rest in a deal that won’t put soldiers at risk.”
Yaakov’s daughter, Shir, 22, was reportedly saved by terrorists failing to break into her apartment in the kibbutz six times, <a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-857411#google_vignette">reported The Jerusalem Post</a>.
Yaakov was described as a &#8220;humble, simple man, who loved his family and music” and worked in both agriculture and a Kibbutz Alumim garage, by Kibbutz Nir Oz.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/gift/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=wisepops&amp;utm_campaign=dad&amp;utm_content=fathersdaygiftpopups" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gift Dad an All Access Membership. Use code DAD40 at checkout to save 40%!</a>
&#8220;This is a much-needed closure, so that we can begin to look forward,&#8221; the Yaakov family said in a statement, reported The Jerusalem Post. &#8220;We thank from the bottom of our hearts the security forces and the brave soldiers who took part in the complex rescue operation. However, we reiterate our position &#8211; the lives of soldiers should not be at stake. The hostages must be returned in a deal that prevents further danger to the soldiers or the captives.&#8221;

Hostage And Missing Families Forum

IDF Recovers Bodies Of Two More Hostages In Gaza: ‘I’m Already Waiting For Your Funeral.’

Hostages

President Donald Trump offered advice to Swedish activist Greta Thunberg on Monday, after she was detained by the Israel Defense Forces for attempting to sail to Gaza with the “Freedom Flotilla.”
“Well she’s a strange person,” Trump said at a White House event. “She’s a young, angry person. I don’t know if it&#8217;s real anger, it’s hard to believe actually, but I saw what happened. She’s certainly different, anger management. I think she has to go to an anger management class. That’s my primary recommendation for her.”
The Israeli Navy’s Shayetet 13 commando unit and the Snapir harbor border security unit <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/greta-thunbergs-flotilla-circled-by-israeli-forces-en-route-to-gaza?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=IDF+Intercepts+Greta+Thunberg%E2%80%99s+Freedom+Flotilla%3A+%E2%80%98The+Show+Is+Over%E2%80%99">intercepted the</a> “Freedom Flotilla” Sunday night and offered the 12 left-wing activists aboard the “Madleen” one final warning to turn back. When they refused, the IDF forces boarded the vessel around 3:00 a.m., and provided the group sandwiches and water before towing the vessel to Ashdod.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
President Donald Trump says Greta Thunberg needs anger management classes.
&quot;She&#39;s a young angry person, I don&#39;t know if its real anger, it&#39;s hard to believe actually.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/3yZ32q4s6W">pic.twitter.com/3yZ32q4s6W</a>
&mdash; Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/1932181352633569760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The Israel Foreign Ministry shared a photo of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/idf-says-prepared-deal-with-greta-thunbergs-flotilla-en-route-gaza?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=7&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=IDF+Says+It%E2%80%99s+%E2%80%98Prepared%E2%80%99+To+Deal+With+Greta+Thunberg%E2%80%99s+Flotilla+En+Route+To+Gaza">Thunberg</a> smiling when being handed the sandwich and water, with the caption, “Greta Thunberg is currently on her way to Israel, safe and in good spirits.”
Following Thunberg’s arrest, a <a href="https://x.com/HenMazzig/status/1931883778244292843">prerecorded video message</a> of her was released, where she said she was “kidnapped” by the IDF.
“If you see this video, we have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters,” she said. “I urge all of my friends, family and comrades to put pressure on the Swedish government to release me and the others as soon as possible.”
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When asked if her claim that she was “kidnapped by Israel” is accurate, Trump responded, “I think Israel has enough problems without kidnapping Greta Thunberg.”
“Is that what she said, she was kidnapped by Israel?” Trump asked, shaking his head.
Greta and her comrades docked at the Israeli port of Ashdod on Monday and underwent medical examinations to ensure that they are in good health, according to the ministry, which posted a photo of Thunberg on shore in front of Israeli flags.
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The ‘Selfie Yacht’ docked at Ashdod Port a short while ago. The passengers are currently undergoing medical examinations to ensure they are in good health. <a href="https://t.co/dGOhPxQnYI">pic.twitter.com/dGOhPxQnYI</a>
&mdash; Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) <a href="https://twitter.com/IsraelMFA/status/1932151038699508006?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The group is expected to be held in a detention facility in Ramle before being deported from the Jewish state.
In a press briefing Monday, Israeli government spokesman David Mencer said Thunberg gave “a new definition to the word chutzpah.”
“In more than 20 months, Greta has not found one single moment to call for the release of our hostages, not one single moment, and she has the chutzpah to say that she has been kidnapped,” Mencer said. “Greta will be returned back to her home country very, very shortly with the firm message that [this] isn’t a music festival, it’s a warzone.”
Israel’s Minister of Defense, Israel Katz, said he instructed the IDF to show <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/israel-to-show-greta-thunberg-graphic-footage-of-hamas-october-7-massacre?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Israel+To+Show+Greta+Thunberg+Graphic+Footage+Of+Hamas%E2%80%99+October+7+Massacre">graphic footage</a> of Hamas’ October 7 massacre to the group upon their arrival to Israel.
“It is appropriate that the antisemitic Greta and her fellow Hamas supporters see exactly who the Hamas terrorist organization they came to support and for whom they work is, what atrocities they committed against women, the elderly, and children, and against whom Israel is fighting to defend itself,” <a href="https://x.com/Israel_katz/status/1931928974889795600">Katz said</a>.
While much of the 40+ minute footage has been circulated online, the compilation does not blur the faces of dead or alive adults, and includes some videos that have not been released publicly. In total, the video shows over 120 bodies, including children, videos of beheadings, houses and people set on fire, unarmed people shot at point-blank range, and more.
The group, which has been mocked as the “selfie flotilla,” or sailing on a “selfie yacht,” was using the voyage as a publicity stunt in its attempt to break the Israeli blockade and bring humanitarian supplies to Gaza.
The ministry pointed out that the 59-foot boat included less than a single truckload of aid, while more than 1,200 aid trucks have entered Gaza over the last two weeks. The Trump administration-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation successfully delivered more than 8 million meals to Gazans since its operation began less than a month ago, according to the organization.
Mencer called Thunberg’s stunt “Instagram activism,” adding, “And to poor Greta, we say who is really funding Gaza, who is really feeding Gaza, and who is funding their own ego?”
<div id="attachment_931267" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-931267" class="size-large wp-image-931267" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/Gs9_WWsXAAAAKwH-1024x576.jpeg" alt="Greta Thunberg" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/Gs9_WWsXAAAAKwH-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/Gs9_WWsXAAAAKwH-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/Gs9_WWsXAAAAKwH-768x432.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/Gs9_WWsXAAAAKwH.jpeg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />The DF forces provided Thunberg and her fellow passengers sandwiches and water before towing the vessel to Ashdod. (Photo: Israel Foreign Ministry)</div>
“This was a PR stunt sailing under the flag of moral vanity,” Mencer said. “We won’t allow a dangerous precedent to dock at our shores. Letting this selfie yacht dock in Gaza would open the floodgates for Iran-backed terror, for extremists worldwide and for every pseudo activist chasing headlines.”
The Israeli government plans to transfer the “tiny” amount of aid aboard the boat to Gaza through “real humanitarian channels,” according to the ministry.
The flotilla passengers are primarily left-wing activists, including Thiago Ávila of Brazil, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/greta-thunbergs-brazilian-flotilla-buddy-attended-funeral-hezbollah-leader-hassan-nasrallah?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Greta+Thunberg%E2%80%99s+Brazilian+Flotilla+Buddy+Attended+Funeral+Of+Hezbollah+Leader+Hassan+Nasrallah">who has a long record</a> of anti-Israel radicalism—including attending the funeral of slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, calling <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/idf-recovers-bodies-of-two-american-hostages-in-gaza">the hostages</a> in Gaza “prisoners,” meeting with terrorists, and stating that he “despises” both the United States and Israel.
European Parliament member, Rima Hassan, is also detained.
An earlier version of this article mistakenly claimed that Liam Cunningham was aboard the Madleen. It has been confirmed that he was not onboard the vessel after it departed.

Greta and Trump

Donald Trump Has A Recommendation For Greta Thunberg After Her ‘Selfie Flotilla’

Donald Trump

Greta Thunberg

Greta Thunberg and fellow passengers who were detained by the Israel Defense Forces when trying to sail a boat to Gaza will be shown the graphic footage of Hamas&#8217; October 7 massacre.
Israel’s Minister of Defense, Israel Katz, said he instructed the IDF to show the footage to Thunberg and the other 11 left-wing activists upon their arrival at the Port of Ashdod.
“It is appropriate that the antisemitic Greta and her fellow Hamas supporters see exactly who the Hamas terrorist organization they came to support and for whom they work is, what atrocities they committed against women, the elderly, and children, and against whom Israel is fighting to defend itself,” <a href="https://x.com/Israel_katz/status/1931928974889795600" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Katz said</a>.
While much of the 40+ minute footage has been circulated online, the compilation does not blur the faces of dead or alive adults, and includes some videos that have not been released publicly. In total, the video shows over 120 bodies, including children, videos of beheadings, houses and people set on fire, unarmed people shot at point-blank range, and more.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/i-couldnt-breathe-watch-arabs-react-after-screening-footage-of-hamas-slaughtering-civilians" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘I COULDN’T BREATHE’: WATCH ARABS REACT AFTER SCREENING FOOTAGE OF HAMAS SLAUGHTERING CIVILIANS</a>
The Israeli Navy’s Shayetet 13 commando unit and the Snapir harbor border security unit <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/greta-thunbergs-flotilla-circled-by-israeli-forces-en-route-to-gaza?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=IDF+Intercepts+Greta+Thunberg%E2%80%99s+Freedom+Flotilla%3A+%E2%80%98The+Show+Is+Over%E2%80%99" target="_blank" rel="noopener">intercepted the</a> “Freedom Flotilla&#8221; Sunday night and offered the group aboard the “Madleen” one final warning to turn back. When they refused, the IDF forces boarded the vessel around 3:00 a.m., and provided the group sandwiches and water before towing the vessel to Ashdod.
<div id="attachment_931267" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-931267" class="size-large wp-image-931267" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/Gs9_WWsXAAAAKwH-1024x576.jpeg" alt="Greta Thunberg" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/Gs9_WWsXAAAAKwH-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/Gs9_WWsXAAAAKwH-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/Gs9_WWsXAAAAKwH-768x432.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/Gs9_WWsXAAAAKwH.jpeg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />The DF forces provided Thunberg and her fellow passengers sandwiches and water before towing the vessel to Ashdod. (Photo: Israel Foreign Ministry)</div>
The Israel Foreign Ministry shared a photo of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/idf-says-prepared-deal-with-greta-thunbergs-flotilla-en-route-gaza?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=7&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=IDF+Says+It%E2%80%99s+%E2%80%98Prepared%E2%80%99+To+Deal+With+Greta+Thunberg%E2%80%99s+Flotilla+En+Route+To+Gaza" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Thunberg</a> smiling when being handed the sandwich and water, with the caption “Greta Thunberg is currently on her way to Israel, safe and in good spirits.”
Following Thunberg’s arrest, a <a href="https://x.com/HenMazzig/status/1931883778244292843" target="_blank" rel="noopener">prerecorded video message</a> of her was released, where she said she was “kidnapped” by the IDF.
“If you see this video, we have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters,” she said. “I urge all of my friends, family and comrades to put pressure on the Swedish government to release me and the others as soon as possible.”
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/idf-recovers-bodies-of-two-american-hostages-in-gaza" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IDF RECOVERS BODIES OF TWO AMERICAN HOSTAGES IN GAZA</a>
In a press briefing Monday, Israeli government spokesman David Mencer said Thunberg gave “a new definition to the word chutzpah.”
“In more than 20 months, Greta has not found one single moment to call for the release of our hostages, not one single moment, and she has the chutzpah to say that she has been kidnapped,” Mencer said. “Greta will be returned back to her home country very very shortly with the firm message that isn’t a music festival, it&#8217;s a warzone.”
The group, which has been mocked as the “selfie flotilla,” or sailing on a “selfie yacht” is using the voyage as a publicity stunt in its attempt to break the Israeli blockade and bring humanitarian supplies to Gaza.
The ministry pointed out that the 59-foot boat included less than a single truckload of aid, while more than 1,200 aid trucks have entered Gaza over the last two weeks. The Trump administration-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation successfully delivered more than 8 million meals to Gazans since its operation began less than a month ago, according to the organization.
Mencer called Thunberg’s stunt “Instagram activism,” adding, “And to poor Greta, we say who is really funding Gaza, who is really feeding Gaza and who is funding their own ego?”
“This was a PR stunt sailing under the flag of moral vanity,” Mencer said. “We won’t allow a dangerous precedent to dock at our shores. We won’t allow a dangerous precedent to dock at our shores. Letting this selfie yacht dock in Gaza would open the floodgates for Iran-backed terror, for extremists worldwide and for every pseudo activist chasing headlines.”
The Israeli government plans to transfer the “tiny” amount of aid aboard the boat to Gaza through “real humanitarian channels,” according to the ministry.
The flotilla passengers are primarily left-wing activists, including Thiago Ávila of Brazil <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/greta-thunbergs-brazilian-flotilla-buddy-attended-funeral-hezbollah-leader-hassan-nasrallah?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Greta+Thunberg%E2%80%99s+Brazilian+Flotilla+Buddy+Attended+Funeral+Of+Hezbollah+Leader+Hassan+Nasrallah" target="_blank" rel="noopener">who has a long record</a> of anti-Israel radicalism—including attending the funeral of slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, calling <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/idf-recovers-bodies-of-two-american-hostages-in-gaza" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the hostages</a> in Gaza “prisoners,” meeting with terrorists, and stating that he “despises” both the United States and Israel.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/gift/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=wisepops&amp;utm_campaign=dad&amp;utm_content=fathersdaygiftpopups" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gift Dad an All Access Membership. Use code DAD40 at checkout to save 40%!</a>
In February, Ávila widely shared his attendance at Nasrallah’s funeral, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGY-cEKM2KB/?igsh=MXY0d2J1c2xybHVkNg==" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posting</a> interviews where he said Nasrallah “shines” as a figure who was “thinking about liberation of the entire world.” In <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGYug3_tqVV/?igsh=MWt3MDJ4bDMwZDk2dw==" target="_blank" rel="noopener">another video</a>, he called Nasrallah a “martyr” who inspires people “all over the world.”
In the days after Hamas’ massacre, rape, and kidnapping of Israeli civilians, <a href="https://archive.is/HHzyf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ávila criticized</a> UN Secretary General António Guterres for calling for the immediate release of the hostages, calling them instead “prisoners” and advocating for them to be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners.
French member of the European Parliament, Rima Hassan, was also detained.
An earlier version of this article mistakenly claimed that Liam Cunningham was aboard the Madleen. It has been confirmed that he was not onboard the vessel after it departed.

October 7 Greta Thunberg

Israel To Show Greta Thunberg Graphic Footage Of Hamas’ October 7 Massacre

After having targeted Hamas strongholds with airstrikes over the last week, on Sunday, Israel Defense Forces launched a massive ground assault to eradicate the terrorist group Hamas from Gaza.
“IDF troops have begun extensive ground operations throughout northern and southern Gaza as part of Operation ‘Gideon&#8217;s Chariots,’” the IDF announced on Sunday. “Over the past week, the IAF conducted a preliminary wave of strikes, striking over 670 Hamas terror targets throughout Gaza to disrupt enemy preparations and support ground operations. The IAF continues to provide consistent support to operating troops in Gaza.”
“Thus far, the troops eliminated dozens of terrorists, dismantled terrorist infrastructure sites above and below ground, and are currently being deployed in key positions within Gaza,” the IDF continued. “The IDF will continue to operate against the terrorist organizations in Gaza as required, in order to defend Israeli civilians.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
𝐈𝐃𝐅 𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐩𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐆𝐚𝐳𝐚 𝐚𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 “𝐆𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐨𝐧’𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐭𝐬”
Over the past week, the IAF conducted a… <a href="https://t.co/3qZq1ngMfH">pic.twitter.com/3qZq1ngMfH</a>
&mdash; Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) <a href="https://twitter.com/IDF/status/1924096822760370614?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“The heroism of IDF soldiers, the unity of the people and the determination of the political echelon increase the chance of the return of the hostages – as it was then and as it is now,” said Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz.
A Saudi news report has claimed that the bombing campaign by the IDF killed the current leader of Hamas, <a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-788195">Mohammed Sinwar</a>, who took over after his brother Yahya, who orchestrated the October 7 massacre, was killed by the IDF, on May 13. “Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Sunday that, &#8220;according to all indications, Mohammed Sinwar was killed.&#8221; The Saudi channel Al-Hadath also reported that the body of the acting Hamas leader was found in a tunnel near the European Hospital in Khan Yunis, the southern Gaza Strip,” I24 <a href="https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel-at-war/artc-report-mohammed-sinwar-s-body-found-in-tunnel-near-rafah-crossing">reported</a>.
The new offensive will not stop until Israel has accomplished its aims of rescuing the hostages or having them returned, and until Hamas has been dismantled, military officials said.
While Israel tries to destroy Hamas, the terrorist group’s supporters march through streets protesting against a young Israel female singer, Yuval Raphael, performing at the Eurovision song contest. Raphael had to hide and play dead under bodies slaughtered by Hamas on October 7 to hide from being brutally murdered.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Right now, thousands are protesting in Basel—not against terror—but against Yuval Raphael, an Israeli survivor of Hamas’ massacre, for daring to sing about hope on the Eurovision stage.
Yes. That’s the enemy now: 24 y/o girl who lived through hell and chose music over hate. <a href="https://t.co/w6fjiX31bW">pic.twitter.com/w6fjiX31bW</a>
&mdash; Hen Mazzig (@HenMazzig) <a href="https://twitter.com/HenMazzig/status/1923816317645185195?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<a href="https://t.co/O0A6HfzFgF">pic.twitter.com/O0A6HfzFgF</a> Thousands of Muslims and their political allies flooded the streets of Switzerland — not to demand peace, not to condemn Hamas — but to protest Israel’s Eurovision contestant, Yuval Raphael, for the “crime” of surviving.
Yuval lived through the Nova Music…
&mdash; Liza Rosen (@LizaRosen0000) <a href="https://twitter.com/LizaRosen0000/status/1923880502215291381?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Meet <a href="https://twitter.com/YuvalRaphael_IL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@YuvalRaphael_IL</a> a Eurovision artist, survivor, and voice of resilience. After barely escaping a massacre, she’s turning her pain into power, sharing her trauma through the universal language of music. But for daring to be vulnerable, she’s being bullied. Silenced. Because… <a href="https://t.co/jZI6a7U6v4">pic.twitter.com/jZI6a7U6v4</a>
&mdash; Sarai (Sarah Idan) Miss Iraq (@RealSarahIdan) <a href="https://twitter.com/RealSarahIdan/status/1923778640409657869?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&nbsp;
Yet in the end, Raphael still was triumphantly voted second place:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
SECOND PLACE! 🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱
Thank you to each and every one of you for showing love and support.
Thank you to our incredible Yuval Raphael for making us proud and spreading her light.
We love you! Am Yisrael Chai ❤️🇮🇱
📸 EBU <a href="https://t.co/jdxE6AJI6N">pic.twitter.com/jdxE6AJI6N</a>
&mdash; Israel ישראל (@Israel) <a href="https://twitter.com/Israel/status/1923878249756606548?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hamas-agrees-to-new-hostage-talks-after-israel-pummels-terror-group-in-new-offensive?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Tim+Pearce&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Hamas+Agrees+To+New+Hostage+Talks+After+Israel+Pummels+Terror+Group+In+New+Offensive">Hamas Agrees To New Hostage Talks After Israel Pummels Terror Group In New Offensive</a>

Silhouette of soldiers with Israel flag against the sunset

IDF Starts Ground Offensive Into Gaza To Finish Off Hamas

Yahya Sinwar

<div>
A Pulitzer Prize administrator mocked a conservative journalist and member of its nominating jury for questioning why the group gave an award to an anti-Israel journalist who downplayed Hamas&#8217;s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.
Eliana Johnson, editor-in-chief of the Washington Free Beacon, was invited this year to serve on the five-member jury for the Pulitzer Prize&#8217;s National Reporting award. But after the Pulitzer&#8217;s Commentary award went to Palestinian poet Mosab Abu Toha — who objected to the media describing an Israeli victim of  the October 7 massacre as a hostage — Johnson <a href="https://freebeacon.com/media/occasionally-we-misjudge/">had questions.</a>
As she wrote in the Free Beacon this week, Johnson asked Pulitzer Prize administrator Marjorie Miller several questions about the prize, most notably, whether or not &#8220;members of the Pulitzer board themselves aware of Abu Toha’s public statements?&#8221;
The statements in question had to do with Emily Damari, who was taken hostage at Kibbutz Kfar Aza on October 7 and held by Hamas for 471 days.
“How on earth is this girl called a hostage? (And this is the case of most ‘hostages’),” Abu Toha wrote just before the Pulitzer deliberations began. “This is Emily Damari, a 28 [year-old] UK-Israeli soldier that Hamas detailed [sic] on 10/7… So this girl is called a ‘hostage?’ This soldier who was close to the border with a city that she and her country have been occupying is called a ‘hostage.’”
“Imagine for a moment a Pulitzer going to an extremist Israeli settler poet who had minimized and mocked the suffering of civilians in Gaza; who put ‘Palestinian’ or ‘innocent civilian’ in quotation marks the way Abu Toha does ‘hostages,’&#8221; Johnson wrote. &#8220;You can’t, because it would never happen.”
In response to Johnson&#8217;s query, Miller — whose social media accounts are littered with pro-Kamala Harris and anti-Trump posts — delivered what Johnson called a &#8220;non-response response about the board’s commitment to recognizing &#8216;excellence in reporting.'&#8221;
Johnson then began querying other members of the Pulitzer committee, prompting Miller to allege that Johnson’s emails violated the confidentiality agreement she had signed upon joining the jury.
Miller ended her email by noting that, while jurors are selected “for their character, expertise and integrity…Unfortunately, we occasionally misjudge.”
</div>
<div>
“She and her colleagues have misjudged, starting with the minor issue of what the confidentiality agreement actually says,” Johnson noted.
“As part of providing my services to the Pulitzers, I agreed not to discuss deliberations over the National Reporting category, nor to reveal the finalists before the winner was announced,&#8221; Johnson wrote. &#8220;I did not agree to refrain from reporting on a separate category in which I had no role.
&#8220;The Pulitzer board’s position that any reporter who participates on one of its many juries is prohibited from doing any reporting about the organization itself—even when one of its awards has become an international news story—is preposterous.”
</div>
<div>
Other jurors on the board with Johnson included Zeba Khan, the founder of Muslims for Obama; Jon Allsop, who has accused the Israel Defense Forces of deliberately targeting journalists; and Julia Preston, who has stated that President Donald Trump is “an existential threat to our democracy.”
</div>
<div>
Damari slammed the Pulitzer board, saying they had rewarded a voice that denies truth, erases victims, and desecrates the memory of the murdered.
</div>
<div>
&#8220;How to use language is precisely a journalist’s job—and a poet’s, too,&#8221; Johnson noted. &#8220;It’s not outlandish, then, to believe that Abu Toha meant exactly what he said and said exactly what he meant: No mercy for the men, women, and babies Hamas kidnapped on Oct. 7.&#8221;
</div>

MixCollage-16-May-2025-11-56-AM-55

Pulitzer Prize Official Mocked Juror For Questioning An Anti-Israel Writer’s Award

Journalism

Palestinian

Pulitzer Prize

Washington Free Beacon

A heroic young Israeli police officer, a father of three who <a href="https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408359" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rushed to save his countrymen</a> from Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023, killing more than a dozen terrorists intent on slaughtering Israelis, took his own life after apparently suffering from survivor’s guilt and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
First Sgt. Igor Pibenev, 32, the father of three daughters, was at the police station in Hebron on the morning of October 7 when he heard Hamas had launched its murderous assault. Driving to his home in Yated, a village near the Gaza border, he first encountered two terrorists near Urim Junction and killed them, prompting two other terrorists to start shooting at him, both of whom he killed.
“The scenario in my head was that I would get home and see a lifeless house, but I put fear aside,” Pibenev recalled. “From Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak, I headed home, but I saw terrorists walking toward the kibbutz cowshed. Then a shootout began, lasting a few minutes. On the way from the police station to my community, I saw a suspicious white vehicle and stopped on the side of the road. I identified terrorists; I shot at them and eliminated them. We had drills for situations like these, but I never believed that we would confront so many terrorists. When I heard about what happened in Kibbutz Be&#8217;eri, I imagined how I&#8217;d be left without a wife and children, but I remained optimistic the entire time.”
“After I eliminated the terrorists, I received a message from my wife that she is currently at the neighbors&#8217; with the children and she is fine and healthy. I said I am on my way,” Pibenev <a href="https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/408359" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said.</a>
“I entered the house, and the look my wife gave me and the girls was that I had arrived as they had hoped. &#8230; I gave a hug to the children &#8230; My feeling was that I was marrying my wife again and that I was back three more times in the delivery room with the excitement of seeing my children come into the world.”
Three months ago, Pivenev’s wife Chani posted on social media: “If there are people around you are have been sinking since that Saturday, (October 7) turn the world on its head so that they can get the proper professional help and treatment. Don&#8217;t try to save them alone, you can&#8217;t, and things will just get worse. Fight the feelings of guilt — it&#8217;s not your fault.&#8221;
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Israel’s Response To Hamas Attack Complicated By Hostages And Concerns Over Gaza Campaign

Israeli October 7 Hero Who Killed Over A Dozen Terrorists Dies Tragically

Heroism

Today is Mother’s Day. Around the world, children shower their mothers with flowers, cards, and celebrate cherished moments. But for me — and for the other mothers of the 59 hostages still held in Gaza — this day marks 582 days of a living nightmare that began on October 7.
I am the mother of Yonatan Samerano, a hostage. For us, time froze on October 7. For 582 days, every moment has been a blur of uncertainty, fear, and heartbreak. Every night, as parents tuck their children into bed, I lie awake, silently screaming into my pillow so I don’t wake anyone else. The weight on my chest never lifts.
Yonatan is a regular at the Nova music festival. He is vibrant, creative, full of life — &#8220;one big party,&#8221; as everyone who knows him would say. He fills every room with joy and helps countless artists in Tel Aviv&#8217;s music scene find their voice. His energy is magnetic, his spirit generous. He believes in people, in art, in freedom.
That morning at 6:29 a.m., when the rockets and sirens began, he and his friends jumped into their car to hurry home to safety. They were among the first to leave the festival grounds. A police officer directed them toward shelter in Kibbutz Be&#8217;eri, unaware they were driving straight into danger. Terrorists opened fire on their car and looters later dragged them from their vehicle.
A white Jeep then pulled up and two terrorists emerged from the vehicle. They picked up my wounded son from the pavement and placed him in the back of the Jeep, leaving his friends lifeless on the sidewalk.
The horror didn&#8217;t end with his capture. We were later forced to watch video footage of his capture. The video revealed that the man driving the Jeep was a social worker from UNRWA — an organization meant to provide humanitarian aid. He dragged my wounded son across the ground and threw him into a UN vehicle.
That’s how Yonatan was kidnapped and taken into Gaza.
I write this not just as a grieving mother, but as a witness to this unconscionable act. While others have received definitive news about their loved ones, we live in this cruel limbo — my son, shot and taken, is still in Gaza.
Every mother understands the fierceness of maternal love — but no mother should understand this pain. I wouldn’t wish even a single day of this uncertainty on any mother, anywhere. Each minute feels like an eternity.
Some mothers count the minutes until they’ll see their child again. I count minutes wondering if I’ll receive even the faintest sign that my son is still alive. Where is he? How are they treating him? Have they abandoned him? What has become of him? What remains of the beautiful soul I raised?
And yet the day passes, night falls again, and the cycle repeats — 582 days without a smile, without laughter, without any sense of life.
<div id="attachment_918277" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-918277" class="size-large wp-image-918277" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2193968537-864x576.jpg" alt="Ayelet Samerano (R), mother of Yonathan Samerano held hostage, addresses a speech during a gathering to support the hostages held in the Gaza Strip since Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, in Paris on January 18, 2025. Israel's cabinet convened to vote on a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal that should take effect this weekend, Israeli Prime Minister's office said. (Photo by GEOFFROY VAN DER HASSELT / AFP) (Photo by GEOFFROY VAN DER HASSELT/AFP via Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2193968537-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2193968537-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2193968537-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2193968537.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />GEOFFROY VAN DER HASSELT/AFP via Getty Images</div>
The hostage release <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hamas-releases-six-hostages-as-first-phase-of-ceasefire-winds-down" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deal</a> in February of this year brought miraculous reunions for some families. I&#8217;ve watched mothers embrace their children after months of captivity, their faces transformed by joy. I replay those images in my mind, visualizing that moment with Yonatan to keep myself going.
Some parents of the 59 hostages still held by Hamas have succumbed to despair, seeing only darkness. I remind myself that hope is my greatest strength. It allows me to see possibilities where others cannot. Perhaps I&#8217;m not being realistic, but this hope sustains me and gives me the courage to face each day amid this chaos.
Hope is what propels me forward each morning. Yonatan gives me strength each day. He is my son, the most precious thing in my world, and I cannot surrender. I must rise, act, fight, and struggle — constantly thinking of new ideas that might help bring him home.
The last time I spoke with my son was the evening before October 7, when I dropped him off to meet his friends for the festival. That morning, when the first siren sounded, I tried desperately to reach him, but he didn&#8217;t answer.
Since then, we&#8217;ve experienced immense grief and longing. No words can express our feelings given the terrible uncertainty about our son&#8217;s condition. Our hearts break anew each day.
President Trump has made remarkable progress in bringing many hostages home. I urge him: Don&#8217;t stop — continue to do whatever is necessary to bring every last one home. The hostages have little time left to spare.
To mothers celebrating today with your children — treasure every moment. Hold them closer. Memorize the sound of their laughter. These are luxuries I dream of experiencing again.
And to my fellow mothers of hostages — I stand with you in our impossible vigil. We will continue to fight, to hope, to believe that our children will return.
Mother&#8217;s Day will truly arrive when we can hold our children again. Until then, we remain mothers in waiting, our hearts simultaneously broken, yet full of an unbreakable hope.
I carry Yonatan with me every moment — his endless magic, his beautiful spirit, his love of life. And I carry the hope that one day soon, all 59 hostages will return to their families&#8217; arms. That would be the greatest Mother&#8217;s Day gift of all.
* * *
Ayelet Samerano is the mother of Yonatan Samerano who was kidnapped and taken to Gaza by Hamas in an UNRWA vehicle on October 7, 2023.

Yonatan Samerano

582 Days Of Waiting: A Mother’s Day Without My Son

582 Days Of Waiting: A Mother's Day Without My Son

Mother

Mothers Day

UNRWA

As Israel marks its 77th Independence Day and President Donald Trump completes his first 100 days in office, my heart is somewhere else entirely: in the darkness of Gaza, where my son Bar remains in captivity — frail, frightened, and forgotten by far too many.
Bar Kupershtein is 23 years old. He was abducted by Hamas terrorists at 9:15 a.m. on October 7, 2023, from the Nova Music Festival. Just three hours earlier, at 6:30 a.m., Bar called to check in on his grandmother as sirens sounded across Israel. He assured her that he was ok and would soon be returning home. He never made it. Instead of running, Bar stayed and helped others flee the area. He provided medical aid to the wounded, organized the evacuation of thousands, and — despite opportunities to run for his life — chose to remain behind to save lives. Survivors have testified to his heroism.
<div id="attachment_913445" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-913445" class="size-large wp-image-913445" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-29-Apr-2025-10-42-AM-2184-1024x576.jpg" alt="Credit: Kupershtein family. Bar Kupershtein." width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-29-Apr-2025-10-42-AM-2184-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-29-Apr-2025-10-42-AM-2184-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-29-Apr-2025-10-42-AM-2184-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-29-Apr-2025-10-42-AM-2184-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-29-Apr-2025-10-42-AM-2184-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Credit: Kupershtein family.</div>
That decision, one rooted in bravery and selflessness, led to his capture.
This is who Bar is: a caregiver, a leader, a young man of tremendous character.
I myself was seriously injured in 2019 while volunteering as a medic, on my way to resuscitate a 4-year-old girl. A terrible car accident left me disabled and struggling to speak. This is where Bar really stepped up. He moved in with his grandparents to make space for my caregiver and began working at the festival to help support our family, including his four siblings. He became the pillar of our family.
Now, that pillar is crumbling in an underground tunnel beneath Gaza.
In a recently released video by Hamas, used as psychological propaganda, Bar appears gaunt, drastically thinner, his eyes hollow, and his body weak. He did not speak, we did not hear his voice. He looks like a different person — one shaped not by time, but by torment.
Our entire family is struggling to maintain hope. I am learning to speak again so I can be Bar’s voice, calling out from the silence of the tunnels. My father, Bar’s grandfather, is a Holocaust survivor — he has suffered two strokes since Bar’s abduction. My mother is battling bowel cancer and undergoing chemotherapy. The pain has seeped into every corner of our home and yet nothing is as severe as painful as longing for Bar’s release.
<div id="attachment_913447" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-913447" class="size-large wp-image-913447" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-29-Apr-2025-09-44-AM-9910-1024x576.jpg" alt="Credit: Kupershtein family. Tal Kupershtein speaks at a rally on behalf of his son, Bar." width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-29-Apr-2025-09-44-AM-9910-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-29-Apr-2025-09-44-AM-9910-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-29-Apr-2025-09-44-AM-9910-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-29-Apr-2025-09-44-AM-9910-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-29-Apr-2025-09-44-AM-9910-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Credit: Kupershtein family.</div>
President Trump, your first 100 days have shown boldness and decisiveness on many fronts. You have demonstrated strength and urgency during this period. I implore you now to bring that same resolve to this urgent humanitarian crisis. The United States has long prided itself as a beacon of moral leadership. You have the power to rally the international community. You have the influence to pressure Hamas. You have the ability to make a deal happen. Please use it.
Now I ask you — beg you — to apply that same determination to the ongoing hostage crisis. Use your influence to rally international partners. Press every available lever. Show the world that America stands for life, for freedom, and for human dignity.
To the global community: do not let these hostages fade from view. Their suffering continues every day as negotiations stall and the world grows quieter. Bar and the 58 others held in Gaza are not just numbers — they are our children, our parents, our friends, and loved ones.
If your child were held underground in darkness, I’m sure you would not stop short of anything to bring them home. So I will never stop! The world must never stop until they all come home!
My son is still alive. But we are running out of time. Let these 100 days be remembered not just for politics, but for courage — for choosing life over fear, action over delay, hope over silence. And please help me hug my son again!
I promise, when Bar finally returns — when I see him again — I will summon every bone in my broken, wheelchair-bound body to rise. I will teach myself to walk again, if only to take one step closer to my son. To hold him. To remind him that he was never alone.
Bring my Bar home.
* * *
Tal Kupershtein is the father of Bar Kupershtein who was kidnapped by Hamas from the Nova Music Festival on October 7, 2023.

ISRAEL-PALESTINIAN-CONFLICT-HOSTAGES

Bring My Son Home: A Father’s Plea To President Trump And The World

Bring My Son Home: A Father's Plea To President Trump And The World

Nova festival

In a reversal from the Biden administration’s policy, the Trump administration&#8217;s Department of Justice has stripped the United Nations Relief Works Agency (UNRWA) — which has been accused of working with Hamas during the October 7, 2023, massacre of more than 1200 people in Israel — of immunity from prosecution. That decision will enable the billion-dollar lawsuit filed by the October 7 victims&#8217; families to move forward.
In a  letter from the United States Attorney, Southern District of New York, to U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres regarding the case Estate of Tamar Kedem Siman Tov et al. v. UNRWA, the text stated:
<blockquote>
The complaint in this case recounts atrocious crimes committed by Hamas on October 7. And its factual allegations, taken as true, detail how the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine (&#8220;UNRWA&#8221;) played a significant role in those heinous offenses. Previously, the Government expressed the view that certain immunities shielded UNRWA from having to answer those allegations in American courts. The Government has since reevaluated that position, and now concludes UNRWA is not immune from this litigation. Nor are the bulk of other defendants.
</blockquote>
The lawsuit<a href="https://unwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/001-UNRWAComplaint.pdf"> states</a>:
<blockquote>The atrocities committed by Hamas in the October 7 Attack were not only acts of terror, genocide, and crimes against humanity, they were torts in violation of the law of nations. Because, as detailed below, the Defendants’ actions aiding and abetting those torts in violation of the law of nations, including but not limited to their funding of Hamas, occurred in significant part in the State of New York and in this federal judicial district, this Court has subject matter jurisdiction and venue over Plaintiffs’ claims against these Defendants. Many of the Plaintiffs separately have claims against Defendants for aiding and abetting Hamas’ violations of the Torture Victim Protection Act of 1991 (“TVPA”), which requires no such New York nexus.</blockquote>
“The US administration&#8217;s determination that UNRWA lacks diplomatic immunity could substantially facilitate Israel&#8217;s efforts to end the agency&#8217;s operations within Israeli territory,” Israel Hayom <a href="https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/04/25/trumps-doj-strips-unrwa-of-immunity/">pointed out</a>. “The lawsuit presents evidence alleging UNRWA orchestrated a $1 billion money laundering operation that funded Hamas, while simultaneously reducing humanitarian aid to Gaza residents and playing a critical role in the October 7 attack.”
Documents shared with <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/08/world/middleeast/hamas-unrwa-schools.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Times</a> last December impelled the media outlet to admit that senior staff at UNRWA schools doubled as members of Hamas’ military wing.
As shown by the detailed records kept by the Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ military wing, which were seized by Israel, at least 24 people employed by the anti-Israel UNRWA in their schools were members of Hamas or Islamic Jihad. “A majority were top administrators at the schools — principals or deputy principals — and the rest were school counselors and teachers, the documents say,” The Times reported. “Almost all of the Hamas-linked educators, according to the records, were fighters in the Qassam Brigades.”
“The Constitution does not grant immunity to foreign sovereigns or organizations. Instead, such immunity &#8216;is a matter of grace and comity on the part of the United States,’” the letter continued. “The interactions among two treaties, one statute, and one proposed convention govern whether UNRWA is entitled to such grace here. First, the International Organizations Immunities Act of 1945 (‘IOIA’) creates the ‘default rules’ for the immunity enjoyed by international organizations in the United States. Although apparently aimed at many of the same entities that now comprise the United Nations (‘UN’) system, id., the JOIA applies to any ‘public organization in which the United States participates pursuant to any treaty or under the authority of any Act of Congress &#8230; and which shall have been designated by the President through appropriate Executive order as being entitled to enjoy the privileges, exemptions, and immunities provided in this subchapter.’&#8221;
“In other words, Congress controls in the first instance whether the United States participates in such ‘public organizations’ and it empowered the President to decide whether to extend immunity to these organizations including ‘at any time to revoke the designation’ entitling the organizations to immunity,” the letter explains.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The Trump DOJ has reversed the Biden admin&#39;s position and made it clear that UNRWA and its employees are not entitled to immunity for their atrocious terroristic conduct. 
File this under the category of &quot;things that should not have to be said but thank God someone said them.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/iRVSFZdV4v">pic.twitter.com/iRVSFZdV4v</a>
&mdash; Mark Goldfeder (@MarkGoldfeder) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkGoldfeder/status/1915591397521969386?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
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