Rob Cohn

The newly freed hostages can stand despite Hamas. They can walk despite Hamas. They can smile despite Hamas. Hamas never cared for them. They tortured them for two years, and yet they are not only alive but also smiling. Their survival is owed only to themselves—to their resilience, their courage, their faith, and their unbreakable spirit. Hamas couldn’t break them, no matter how hard they tried.

The “Free Palestine” crowd in the West breathes Palestine, dresses Palestine, lives Palestine. But they don’t know where Gaza is on a map. They don’t know which river and sea border Israel. They don’t know that 20% of Israel’s population is Arab. They don’t know that Gaza was under Egyptian control from 1948 to 1967, and yet Palestinians were never granted Egyptian citizenship. They don’t know that every Israeli was forcibly removed from Gaza in 2005. They don’t know that Hamas is still holding 50 hostages, blocking any chance of ending the war. They don’t know that Hamas’s leaders are billionaires living in luxury in Qatar while Gazans suffer. The only thing they seem to know is how to burn synagogues and beat Jews — thousands of miles away from Gaza.

Jews are indigenous to Israel. Jews were colonized and ethnically cleansed from their native homeland. Zionism is our decolonization movement. Zionism has maintained our connection to our homeland through thousands of years of persecution. Zionism is intrinsic to Judaism, just as Jews are intrinsically tied to the land of Israel. Our bond will never be broken, no matter how hard the world tries.

You can love Israel and hate the actions of its government. You can care about Israelis and Palestinians. You can call for the hostages to be freed and for a ceasefire. Even when you feel hopeless, angry, and broken, you can choose to stay committed. That’s where hope is born.

If you’re an anti-Zionist, and don’t believe Jews should have a sanctuary state to escape to, you need to work twice as hard to ensure that the Jewish diaspora is safe. Yet how come anti-Zionists do everything in their power to dismiss, excuse, and justify antisemitism?

TESTIMONY: Captivity survivor Omer Wenkert revealed the horrifying torture he endured in Hamas captivity. "We were intentionally starved. The captors put my life in danger for fun. One of them brought in a bottle of pest spray, made me stand in the corner of the hallway, and sprayed it across my face while forcing my eyes open. He made sure that everything I touched would be covered in the spray.” He also recalled how he saw himself in a mirror three times. He kept telling himself, “I’m not that skinny,” until Guy Gilboa Dalal and Eviatar David said his bones were visible. Omer survived hell. Guy, Eviatar, and dozens of others are still there. We have no time to waste. BRING THEM HOME NOW.

This means so much coming from the outgoing prime minister 🤦

Shaaban al-Sayed, Hisham's father: "His mental condition is very difficult, he doesn't communicate. He looks like he was in a torture camp for 10 years. I am surprised for the worse, we didn't imagine that Hamas would be so cruel. They did a disgusting act. He is emotionally and mentally destroyed." No one should go through the nightmare Hisham endured for over a DECADE in Hamas’ hands. At last, he will be surrounded by love and family for the journey ahead. I am praying for Hisham’s recovery. ❤️‍🩹

This Shabbat, give your children an extra hug. This Shabbat, reach out and tell your loved ones just how much you love them. This Shabbat, check in on the people you care about most because you can. This Shabbat, go on a walk with your friends, with your dog, or with yourself. Feel the sun on your face and breathe in some fresh air. This Shabbat, do the little things that remind you what we do this all for. Do it for Kfir and Ariel. I promise it will help you feel better. 💜

BREAKING: Hamas confirms—they did not release the remains of hostage Shiri Bibas yesterday.