Photographs of hostages taken after the Oct. 7 assault by Hamas militants are displayed at a news conference on Monday, Nov. 20, 2023, at the Israel Embassy in London. (Kin Cheung /AP)

Let hostilities resume

Washington Examiner November 30, 12:00 AM November 30, 12:01 AM Video Embed

When President Joe Biden agreed to exchange convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout for WNBA star Brittney Griner, only the naive thought Russia wouldn’t take another American hostage. Three months later, that’s what happened. Russia detained the Wall Street Journal’s Evan Gershkovich.

The lesson is simple: Appeasing terrorists only encourages more terror. Unfortunately, Biden does not appear to be learning this lesson. He is prioritizing the release of hostages and stability over the strategic goal of destroying Hamas.

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This will not only endanger Israeli national security but will also embolden every Iranian proxy terror organization around the world and put American lives at risk.

Accounts from Hamas hostages reveal the horror perpetrated by their captors. They bear repeating since they should refocus our minds on the depth of evil Israel and the West are facing.

According to family members who have spoken to the press, many of the almost 70 hostages released so far, including dozens of children, were held in cages, not permitted to shower or change clothes, and were all denied their humanitarian right to visitation by the Red Cross. Some say they were beaten by Gazan civilians, and others say they were forced to watch videos of the Oct. 7 rapes and killings by Hamas of their friends and relatives. A 12-year-old boy was kept in solitary confinement for 16 days.

The hostages released by Hamas were not chosen at random. They indicate a calculated and inhumane plan to divide families and keep the most vulnerable in the greatest danger. Where mothers and children have been freed, fathers have been kept behind. A 10-month-old baby and his 4-year-old brother have been reportedly transferred to an affiliated terrorist group near the front lines.

Hamas knows there are those in the Biden administration who hope the current temporary pause in fighting can be stretched into a permanent ceasefire. CIA Director William Burns has reportedly been dispatched by Biden to Qatar to achieve this purpose. It is a fool’s errand.

Israel had a ceasefire with Hamas on Oct. 6. Now, 1,200 Israelis and more than 10,000 Palestinians are dead. The path to a real, lasting peace does not go through longer pauses and more hostage exchanges. Exchanging hostages for imprisoned terrorists encourages terrorists to take more hostages.

The only paths to peace lie through the unconditional surrender of Hamas and everyone involved in the planning and funding of the Oct. 7 attacks or the complete annihilation of all those who took part in conceiving, planning, executing, and providing material support for the mass murders on that day that will live in infamy.

The hostages Hamas has already released suffered through a living hell. The hostages Hamas still has in captivity are no doubt still in a living hell. Israel should make all reasonable efforts to free them as soon as possible, but not at the expense of letting Hamas survive to fight another day.

The elimination of Hamas is the highest strategic objective. The Biden administration should not press Israel to lose sight of this fact.

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