Hamas was supposed to release the remains of four hostages Thursday including a mother, Shiri Silberman Bibas, and her toddler sons Ariel and Kfir. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) was able to confirm the bodies of the sons, and that of 83-year-old hostage Oded Lifshitz, but the fourth body was not Shiri Silberman Bibas, the IDF said.
Apparently, Hamas believed anyone’s body would do. Representatives of the terrorists said Friday Shiri Bibas’ remains were “turned into pieces after apparently being mixed with other bodies under the rubble” of an Israeli air strike where some hostages were being held, Fox News reported.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the absence of Bibas a “cruel and vicious violation” of the ceasefire agreement and said that Israel would “operate determinedly to bring Shiri home along with all our hostages – both living and dead – and ensure that Hamas pays the full price.”
It has strengthened the Jewish nation’s resolve to finish the war and end Hamas, Ohad Tal, a member of the Israeli Knesset, said on Washington Watch Thursday.
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Mike Huckabee, President Trump's yet-to-be-confirmed pick to be U.S. ambassador to Israel, says Hamas terrorists demonstrate regularly why they cannot remain in control of Gaza … or anywhere else, for that matter. More details … |
“One side sanctifies death; one side sanctifies life. One side is good, one side is evil, and that evil should be eliminated,” Tal told show host Tony Perkins.
Israel was expected to begin negotiations on the second phase of the ceasefire this week, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said at a press conference in Jerusalem on Tuesday. Tal doesn’t expect there to be a second phase.
“I don't think so because for them it means to give back all hostages and lose all leverage for the rest of what they're planning to do. For us it means to withdraw from the Gaza Strip and effectively keep Hamas in power, allow them to return, reorganize and prepare themselves for another massacre.”
Hostages who have been released have told Israeli officials that their Hamas captors told them they are planning another event on the scale of Oct. 7 “whenever they have the chance,” Tal said.
“We cannot allow that to happen. I do not see any possibility for the second phase of that deal to move forward.”
Stronger relationship among allies
Joel Rosenberg, a journalist, publisher and regional analyst, said on American Family Radio last week that Israel feels stronger and more confident in its relationship with the United States since Donald Trump began his second term as president. It’s a different day than when Joe Biden was delaying arms shipments and making public comments to undermine the chief U.S. ally in the region.
“Those days are over, this idea of tying one hand behind your back, not giving you the weapons you need, not giving you the political and moral support that you need to get the job done,” Rosenberg said.
Last week Trump said he would give his blessing to canceling the ceasefire and letting “all hell break loose” if all hostages were not released by noon on Saturday, Feb. 15. It is believed that close to 80 hostages remain held by Hamas, according to media reports.
Tal says the threat posed by Hamas is not toward Israel alone. “They’re trying to terrorize Western society," he argued. "They want to see destruction. Hamas’ goal is not to just terrorize Israel – it's to send a message that they want to destroy the entire world. We are at the forefront of this battle, and this is why we have to win.”
Victory for Israel would instead send a message that terrorist organizations will pay a price. That message? “You will not be able to keep terrorizing us and destroy our lives,” Tal said.
Biden was a firm believer that the conflict requires a two-state solution, which means Israel ceding more land to the Palestinians. Trump favored a two-state solution during his first term but has since changed his position. However, he did not close the door on the idea in comments last December.
“I support whatever solution we can do to get peace. There are other ideas other than two-state, but I support whatever is necessary to get not just peace, a lasting peace. It can’t go on where every five years you end up in tragedy. There are other alternatives,” he stated.
Any two-state solution would likely require Israel to give up Judea and Samaria, some of the most holy territory for Jews and Christians. The region – also known as the West Bank – is under 40% control of the Palestinian Authority.
Jewish sovereignty in Judea and Samaria
Tal has introduced legislation in the Knesset that if passed would bring that area completely under Israeli control. That would be a big shift in policy focus.
“The approach we need to take, especially now with everything we’re seeing with Hamas … they had one goal on Oct. 7, to destroy Israel. We should make it as clear as possible that there will not be a Palestinian state.
“The land of Israel belongs to the people of Israel,” he continued. “The Jews belong in Judea more than any other place in the world. The next move should be applying Jewish sovereignty in Judea and Samaria.”
Next week, the American Christian Leaders for Israel – a group representing more than 3,000 Christian pastors and organizational leaders across the U.S. – plans to announce the signing of a resolution reaffirming the Jewish people's right to Judea and Samaria. The resolution, which will be presented to President Trump, argues that any decision involving the destiny of the West Bank must be made by Israel with no pressure from the U.S. or the international community.
