‘Killing ourselves,’ Nobel laureate says of releasing terrorists
Yisrael (Robert J.) Aumann was awarded the 2005 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for his contribution to Game Theory, a branch of applied mathematics that studies strategic interactions between individuals or groups.Hamas dropped its victim narrative with sadistic hostage releases
Aumann has said that if he could describe Game Theory in one word, it would be “incentives.”
JNS caught up with Aumann on Feb. 23 at his offices in the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where he is a member of the Einstein Institute of Mathematics and The Federmann Center for the Study of Rationality, to ask what he thought of the current prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Hamas.
The deal called for the release of 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for about 1,900 imprisoned terrorists, many of them murderers serving multiple life sentences.
In a word, said Aumann, “Crazy.”
“The basis of Game Theory is to give incentives to the other side to do what’s good for you,” Aumann told JNS. “And we keep doing the opposite. We are literally killing ourselves. We are killing our own children. It’s not only that they will kidnap more. We are incentivizing them to attack us again and again, to make war against us, to repeat Oct. 7,” he said, referring to the Hamas-led massacre of Oct. 7, 2023.
Q: Do we know the recidivism rates of these released prisoners who return to terror?
A: We don’t have the exact number. It’s important. Someone should pull together those numbers. It doesn’t even require any analysis. It’s just a matter of gathering the available data. There are a lot of sources.
When it comes to recidivism, not every terrorist attack is successful. In fact, my subjective impression is that most terrorist attacks are not successful. Most of the time, they kill the terrorist, or they stop him before he manages to kill someone.
Let’s say the number of unsuccessful attacks is somewhere between 50% to 75%. But that leaves successful ones between 25% and 50%, and if you talk about 1,000 terrorists released, we get maybe between 250 and 500 successful terrorist attacks where they manage to kill somebody, at least one person. That’s at least 250 dead for 33 live hostages.
Just on that basis alone, it’s obviously a terrible deal.
But that’s not the worst of it. The worst of it is that again and again we’re going to have people kidnapped. We’ve shown the enemy that it’s worth it, that we will completely give up and raise a white flag even if you abduct one, like with Gilad Shalit [an IDF soldier kidnapped by Hamas in June 2006 and exchanged five years later for 1,027 terrorist prisoners.]
We’ve given them incentives to go and kidnap more and more. And they’ve said they’re going to do it. They did it in the past. So we better believe them.
The summer of Gazan love has ended with a thud. The ability to scream about the resistance, about the river and the sea, along with the free-wheeling accusations of genocide, all without accountability, is over.Itzik Elgarat, Ohad Yahalomi, Tsachi Idan, Shlomo Mantzur murdered by Hamas terrorists
Hamas has, to no one’s surprise in Israel, made itself completely unpalatable, let alone heroic. It has required its fellow travelers to excuse, contextualize, or defend conduct that, were there no Jews involved, would be universally condemned and despised.
Hamas did it all by itself and to itself. It did it by showing its true colors and straightforward world view, on its own initiative. The morphing realities and narratives in Gaza
In this regard, the ironies are immense and all but overwhelming. That is because, with its discretionary handling of the return of the hostages, Hamas has just made Israel’s case for why it should be expunged from Gaza, and indeed from history.
What happened to the starving, bereft Gazans? We have morphed from pictures of bedraggled Gazans to pressed uniforms, cheering crowds, and an environment worthy of a Hitlerian rally in the 1930s.
All of this was to show the world that Hamas had won. This in and of itself undercuts the case of devastation that must be stopped, privation that must be addressed, and an all-but-eradicated people that must be rescued.
The face that Hamas has chosen to show the world is not one of “We survived Israel’s onslaught,” but in effect one of “Israel never laid a glove on us.” That, of course, beggars the imagination.
However, it is with its treatment of the returned hostages that Hamas has shown its true colors to any who would look objectively at its doings, and listen to what it is, in effect, saying.
Of course, the images of the returned hostages, particularly the men, speak for themselves. Those of us who are allergic to any analogies with the Holocaust nevertheless found ourselves invoking such comparisons when presented with pictures of some of the released men.
The world clearly saw the heinousness of Hamas, and, by extension, its formerly bereft but now screamingly happy acolytes, as Hamas stormtroopers orchestrated scenes that could have easily devolved into lynchings and certainly had all the feel of them.
The Prime Minister’s Office announced on Thursday that the deaths of Ohad Yahalomi, Tsachi Idan, Shlomo Mantzur, and Itzik Elgarat have been confirmed following forensic analyses.
“Following the completion of the identification process by the IDF, the Health Ministry National Center of Forensic Medicine and the Israel Police, IDF representatives have, overnight, informed the Yahalomi, Idan, Mantzur and Elgarat families that their loved ones—Ohad Yahalomi, Tsachi Idan, Shlomo Mantzur and Itzik Elgarat, of blessed memory—were murdered and have been returned for burial in Israel,” the PMO statement said.
“Pursuant to the intelligence and all of the information at our disposal, Ohad Yahalomi, Tsachi Idan and Itzik Elgarat were murdered while held hostage in Gaza. Shlomo Mantzur was murdered in the 7 October 2023 massacre and his body had been held in the Gaza Strip,” the statement continued.
“We share in the families’ sorrow at this difficult time.”
Kibbutz Nir Oz announced earlier on Thursday that Israeli hostages Elgarat and Yahalomi, whose bodies were among four returned to Israel overnight Wednesday, were murdered in Hamas captivity in Gaza.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum and Idan’s family shortly thereafter confirmed the identification of Mantzur’s and Idan’s remains, respectively.
The terrorist organization handed over to the Red Cross what it claimed were the bodies of the four Israelis at around midnight in Gaza.
Andrew Fox: Too Stupid To Know They've Lost
It actually does not matter whether someone is pro-Israel or pro-Palestine. Reality trumps fantasy. The simple fact of the matter is that Palestinianism will not and cannot succeed. Israel is too strong, both militarily and societally. Therefore, right of return fantasies aside, the pattern of violence is that Arab terrorism is met with overwhelming Israeli force. This cycle of violence has met its most extreme iteration in the 2023-25 Gaza-Israel war. The ultimate result of Palestinianism is unending and worsening suffering for Palestinians.Jonathan Tobin: Hamas spins the liberal media in a bid to outwit Trump
The end to this suffering is in two parts: internal and external.
Internally, Palestinian Arabs need three things: an acceptance of the state of Israel; an end to the eternal victim complex conferred by permanent refugee status; and accountability for their own role in their predicament. Israel has repeatedly offered peaceful coexistence to Palestinians. Palestinianism is the reason they have rejected peace and chosen violence.
They have been cheered on by their external backers: in the UN, in international media, malign countries such as Qatar and Iran, and a weaponised anti-Israel NGO sector.
The external issue is by far the harder one to fix. What possible incentive is there for Palestinians to make peace with Israel when their leaders are financially incentivised to keep fighting and keep their people suffering? From Arafat onwards, Palestinian leaders have been made billionaires by foreign “aid”.
Palestinianism is a zombie concept. It is an ex-idea. It has been killed by Israeli firepower. It has no chance of ever succeeding. However, the rotten corpse of Palestinianism is kept animated by the aforementioned coalition of international cheerleaders: incentivising corruption, making billionaires of Palestinian leaders, and perpetuating the cycle of violence.
The only way to break this cycle of violence is an end to the idea of Palestinianism: it is already dead, but it needs to be buried with a stake through its heart. This starts with internal acknowledgement. If Palestinians themselves reject “from the river to the sea”, their international supporters look deeply silly in supporting an idea that Palestinians themselves do not.
The challenge for Israel is to provide a stick or a carrot that outweighs international financing. I would suggest it starts with finding a way to bypass or disband the Palestinian Authority. The route to peace is through empowering Palestinian Arabs at the clan level to own their own futures and showing them how good life could be if they do so. The first waypoint on that route is the end of Palestinianism.
Give Hamas credit for understanding the American and European audiences they wish to influence and deceive. The Islamist group may have started a disastrous war with Israel that led to horrendous suffering for the majority of Palestinian Arabs. But they also recognize that part of what they need to do to survive and hold onto power in Gaza is to convince the West that they are reasonable people and not the genocidal terrorists who seek death and destruction.Americans Overwhelmingly Support Israel’s Right to Defend Itself, Poll Finds
The latest example of this strategy came this week when Mousa Abu Marzouk gave an exclusive interview to The New York Times. Billed as “the Qatar-based head of Hamas foreign relations office,” he claimed that he would not have supported the multipronged assault on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, had he known of the consequences for Gaza.
As he told the Times, Abu Marzouk was not privy to plans for the orgy of mass murder, rape, torture, kidnapping and wanton destruction that the Palestinians unleashed on 23 Israeli communities. The Hamas leadership, which lives in great luxury—largely paid for by the billions in aid donations that Gaza has received from Western countries, as well as from the group’s criminal activities—wasn’t really in control of the “military” leadership of Gaza. It was that bifurcated sector, he said, that ruled the area with an iron fist from 2007 to 2023, when it was an independent Palestinian state in all but name.
Lying about Oct. 7
Of course, Abu Marzouk and the rest of the top echelon of Hamas, who have been kept safe by security guarantees provided by the government of Qatar that funds terrorism while also pretending to be an ally of the United States, approved the idea of Oct. 7 in concept. But using the Times as an outlet with which it hopes to reach liberal Americans and the international community, the Palestinian Arab terrorist group now thinks it would be in their best interests to pretend to have some remorse about how things worked out.
That didn’t manifest itself in any contrition for the barbaric crimes committed by Palestinians on Oct. 7 or in the subsequent 16 months of war, during which they’ve tortured and murdered hostages, and have continued to fire rockets and missiles into Israel. Nor was it an admission of guilt for having placed their armed formations, rocket launchers and command centers in, around and under hospitals, schools and civilian dwellings to maximize the suffering of Gazans.
Instead, the Times reports that Abu Marzouk merely told them that the extent of the destruction and casualties resulting from their war was more than they had calculated, and thus wound up on the negative end of some theoretical cost-benefit analysis. “If it was expected that what happened would happen, there wouldn’t have been Oct. 7,” the Times quoted Abu Marzouk as saying.
In typical fashion, Hamas officially disavowed the interview and reaffirmed that they have no regrets about Oct. 7 or any wiggle room about giving up their arms. This is very much like the way Palestinian leaders have for decades spoken in one way in English to Western and Israeli journalists, and in a very different way in Arabic to their own people. Still, Abu Marzouk’s statement was significant—if only in the way it indicated that they are interested in tweaking their image and fooling an always gullible Western media when it comes to the Palestinians and generally hostile when it covers Israelis.
Even taken at face value, the sort of halfway regret Abu Marzouk deployed doesn’t stand up to scrutiny for a number of reasons. Perhaps more interesting was his statement that Hamas was prepared to negotiate “the future of the group’s weapons in Gaza,” which the newspaper helpfully pointed out was a “sticking point in negotiations with Israel.”
An overwhelming majority of Americans support Israel’s right to defend itself, according to a poll released Thursday.Shocking Gallup survey finds 60% of Dems are anti-Israel — first time ever for major US political party
The poll, conducted by the Israel on Campus Coalition in partnership with Schoen Cooperman Research, reveals a resounding endorsement of Israel’s position among Americans. Of the 1,000 U.S. adults surveyed, 81 percent affirmed Israel’s right to defend itself—an 11 percent increase compared to a poll the two groups conducted last month.
Thursday’s survey also identified an even sharper increase: 82 percent of Americans believe a final ceasefire agreement in the Gaza conflict should remove Hamas from power, up from 57 percent last month.
"These findings demonstrate unwavering public support for Israel and deep concern about the alarming rise of antisemitism, especially on college campuses," said Israel on Campus Coalition CEO Jacob Baime.
While solidarity with Israel remains robust, the poll also highlighted the sharp increase in anti-Semitism present in America's colleges and universities. Since Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, massacre of Israeli civilians, reports of anti-Semitism in higher education skyrocketed.
Among the 400 college students surveyed, 75 percent said they experienced, witnessed, or heard about anti-Semitic incidents on their campus, while 76 percent said they viewed it as a serious problem.
Those findings were similar among the 250 Jewish college students polled. Of them, 74 percent see anti-Semitism as a serious problem on their campus, with 81 percent having either experienced it personally (30 percent), witnessed it firsthand (29 percent), or heard about anti-Semitic incidents (22 percent).
The anti-Israel protests and Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions petitions that have spread on college campuses since the Oct. 7 attack have resonated with Jewish students. Nearly 90 percent worry that those activities are fueling hate crimes and violence against Jewish students.
More than half of Democrats are anti-Israel, according to a shocking new poll.Mast directs Foreign Affairs Committee to refer to West Bank as Judea and Samaria
Only 33% of Dems surveyed by Gallup said they had a favorable view of Israel, while a whopping 60% said they viewed the Jewish State unfavorably and 4% had no opinion.
It’s the first time ever that a Gallup survey showed a majority of members of a main US political party had a negative opinion of the Jewish state, with the question being asked since 1989.
By comparison, 83% of Republicans said they had a favorable view of Israel, and just 13% unfavorable, with 4% not offering an opinion, the poll found.
“This year marks the first time any party group has had majority-level unfavorable ratings of Israel, with 60% of Democrats expressing that view,” Gallup said.
Overall, 54% of Americans surveyed had a favorable view of Israel and 41% unfavorable, the lowest rating since 2000.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast (R-FL) instructed committee staff to refer to the West Bank as Judea and Samaria in all official documents and communications going forward, stating that Congress should “recognize Israel’s rightful claim to the cradle of Jewish civilization.”Ex-USAID Official Says Biden Ditched Vetting Reforms as His Administration Steered Grants to Terror Supporters
The directive echoes legislation recently reintroduced in both chambers of Congress and the establishment of a new Friends of Judea and Samara caucus on the Hill, reflecting growing interest among some conservative lawmakers in recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the territory. A group of Republican lawmakers also explicitly called for U.S. recognition of Israeli sovereignty in the West Bank in a letter earlier this week.
Judea and Samaria is the biblical name of the territory, used by the Israeli government and preferred by some who favor Israeli annexation of the area and believe Israel has a historical and biblical right to control it.
Large portions of the territory are viewed by supporters of a two-state solution as comprising part of a future Palestinian state, together with the Gaza Strip.
In a memo to Republican committee staff, Mast said that “Jewish roots in this region span centuries and we must recognize that fact in both word and deed.”
He added, “As a committee and as representatives of the American people, we must do our part to stem this reprehensible tide of antisemitism [globally] and recognize Israel’s rightful claim to the cradle of Jewish civilization.”
He said that the language change was a “recognition of our unbreakable bond with Israel and the inherent right of the Jewish people to their ancient homeland.”
On Tuesday, Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY), who has established herself as a leader on the issue, and Reps. Mary Miller (R-IL), Randy Weber (R-TX), Barry Moore (R-AL), Andy Harris (R-MD) and Nick LaLota (R-NY) sent a letter to the administration urging it to recognize “Israel’s right to declare sovereignty over this historically and biblically significant region.”
Recently, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Tenney reintroduced legislation, the RECOGNIZING Judea and Samaria Act, which would require the United States government to refer to the territory as Judea and Samaria, and would replace references to the West Bank in existing law.
The Biden administration ditched the first Trump administration's U.S. Agency for International Development vetting reforms—and went on to send "vast sums of U.S. money" to Middle Eastern countries that ended up in the hands of terrorists, a former senior USAID official told Congress on Wednesday.
Max Primorac, USAID's former acting chief operating officer, said he pushed for a stronger vetting process for grants going to countries linked to terrorism under the first Trump administration. The Biden administration ditched those processes, he said.
"I approved strong vetting policies for humanitarian assistance in countries swarming with terrorists. That, too, was ignored by the Biden administration," Primorac, now a Heritage Foundation senior research fellow, said during a Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency hearing on foreign aid. He added that "vast sums of U.S. money have been diverted to fund terrorists in Gaza, Syria, Yemen, and Afghanistan" and that "NGOs have been hit with heavy fines for violating our anti-terrorism financing laws."
The hearing comes as the Trump administration takes steps to dismantle USAID. In recent weeks, the administration has slashed thousands of agency employees and instituted a 90-day spending freeze, which is the subject of an ongoing court battle.
Primorac and other foreign aid experts testified that sweeping oversight and transparency problems at USAID have led to foreign funding recipients diverting U.S. taxpayer dollars to support terrorists, overseas left-wing activism, and foreign adversaries.
Gregg Roman, executive director of the Middle East Forum, said his group has "identified over $122 million which has ended up supporting radical organizations, or even directly bankrolling organizations which are considered to be terrorists by the U.S. government."
He testified, for example, that USAID gave a $125,000 grant to the Islamic Relief Agency, "an entity linked to al Qaeda, even after a whistleblower raised red flags." He said another organization, Helping Hand for Relief and Development, received a $78,000 grant "despite openly working with the terrorists who orchestrated the 2008 Mumbai massacre in India."
USAID money also went to Jammal Trust Bank in Lebanon, which the U.S. Department of the Treasury later designated as a sponsor of the terrorist group Hezbollah. In another example, the agency funded the Gazan charity Bayader and Unlimited Friends Association, whose officials have called for the region to be "cleansed" of the "impurity of the Jews," and which maintains close relations with Hamas leadership, according to Roman.
Abu Ali:
— Imshin (@imshin) February 27, 2025
Under Biden Administration Directive: Approximately $2 Billion of U.S. Government Funds Reached Hamas Through USAID Since October 7, Supporting Its Survival
Sworn testimony during a congressional hearing on USAID's use of American taxpayer funds:
American aid funds… pic.twitter.com/0y567tj4Iq
Maybe she should go meet with hostage families and prostrate herself before them for the evil she helped contribute to. https://t.co/OLRqBuf85d
— John Podhoretz (@jpodhoretz) February 27, 2025
Blinken wanted sanctions on IDF Unit 504, Israel prevented it at last minute
Former US Secretary of State Antony Blinken wanted to impose sanctions on one of the IDF's most secret and elite intelligence units, Unit 504, former Israeli Ambassador to the US, Michael Herzog, told Ariel Kahana in an interview with Israel Hayom on Wednesday night.
"He had already decided," Herzog said. "We managed to prevent him from bringing down the axe at the last minute."
"There were difficult moments, and there were cases when the Americans went crazy," he continued. "More than once they really attacked me and said, 'You're crazy, you've fallen on your head, how could you do something like this that would lead to an escalation? You'll drag us into war because you didn't think it through to the end and then ask us to come and rescue you.' There were tough arguments about things Israel did that, in their eyes, was one step too far."
Herzog also explained that there were severe tensions between former US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Herzog criticized the US decision to halt the military equipment to Israel right before the ground operations began in Rafah.
He also emphasized that despite these tensions, the Biden administration did support Israel during crucial moments throughout the war by sending ammunition, helping defend against both Iranian missile attacks, defending Israel at international courts, and "vetoed the UN more than once."
Amid revelations that the Biden Admin was poised to sanction the IDF, it is important to remember that they DID sanction innocent Israelis and even American citizens, relying on uncorroborated information provided by far-left anti-Israel groups like Dawn MENA. @SecRubio &… https://t.co/J3iYtVhjlV
— Eugene Kontorovich (@EVKontorovich) February 27, 2025
Lessons from Gaza, Part 1: Genocide and Geopolitical Populism at the ICJ and Beyond.
— Dr. Brian L. Cox (@BrianCox_RLTW) February 26, 2025
The first installment of the Lessons from Gaza series examines these QT'd remarks from @CyrilRamaphosa for his recent annual #SONA2025. If you're looking for an informed & rational treatment of… https://t.co/QaOoZocr42
3/3 What #LessonsfromGaza can/should be developed from above analysis of @CyrilRamaphosa's #SONA2205 remarks?
— Dr. Brian L. Cox (@BrianCox_RLTW) February 26, 2025
First, this is geopolitical populism in action. It's similar in objective to tyrannical pro-Palestinian mobs that have plagued campuses & city streets across West since… pic.twitter.com/YpQUzQPb1i
Palestinian family says sleeping in their car in south Dublin is WORSE than the war in Gaza.
— Fella Writes (@fellawrites) February 27, 2025
Will the Irish government be taking themselves to the ICC now for genociding this family?
Why won’t any Paddystinians have them in their house? https://t.co/WObKzo3wq1 pic.twitter.com/8hrcYPQZNh
2/ UNHRC Grants Impunity to Worst Regimes: The council has adopted ZERO resolutions on China, Cuba, Qatar, Pakistan, Egypt, Hamas, Iraq, Erdogan's Turkey, Zimbabwe, and countless other oppressive regimes and state sponsors of terrorism.
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) February 27, 2025
4/ The longest-serving UNHRC expert, Jean Ziegler, co-founded and co-managed the “Moammar Qaddafi Human Rights Prize.” Its laureates include Fidel Castro, Louis Farrakhan, and, in 2002, Jean Ziegler himself. https://t.co/cBXhOUSDLJ
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) February 27, 2025
6/ UNHRC “expert” Idriss Jazairy used his mandate (2015-2019) to portray the regimes of Russia, Sudan and Syria as victims of Western sanctions. After he made a propaganda visit to Russia, they donated $50,000 to his office: https://t.co/am4QderZi0https://t.co/YwBSCSKKh3
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) February 27, 2025
NEW 🔴
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) February 27, 2025
Incoming German Ruling Party Member: “Germany will once again be a significant ally of Israel and will supply it with weapons.” pic.twitter.com/3CMeq1lVgt
Analysis: Al Jazeera platforms Hamas’s “resistance” at annual conference
On February 15, the Qatar-funded news organization Al Jazeera gave a platform to two Hamas officials at its 16th annual Al Jazeera Forum. The event, “From the War on Gaza to Change in Syria: Shifting Dynamics in the Middle East,” was organized by the Al Jazeera Centre for Studies.
Osama Hamdan and Basem Naim were the Hamas officials who participated in the conference. Al Jazeera’s website identifies Hamdan as a “leader of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas)” and Naim as a “member of Hamas’s politburo.”
Along with five other senior leaders of Hamas, Hamdan was listed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) by the US Department of the Treasury in August 2003 after a Hamas suicide attack in Jerusalem killed 23 people and injured 130 others. In the 1990s, Hamdan served as Hamas’s representative to Tehran, a tenure during which he facilitated the military training of Hassan Salamah, a key planner of the 1996 Jaffa Road bus suicide bombings that killed 45 commuters.
In 2020, the UK sanctioned and imposed a travel ban on Hamdan for his affiliation with Hamas. Australia added Hamdan to its registry of persons associated with terrorism in 2013.
The US Treasury designated Naim as an SDGT in November 2024, noting he “holds a leadership role on Hamas’s Council on International Relations.”
On one of the panels praising the massacre, Hamdan said that “the 7th of October was a historical achievement.” He also falsely proclaimed that “a group of no more than a few hundred were able to destroy [the IDF’s Gaza Division] within six hours. This gave the Palestinians the feeling that they can achieve great success if they take the initiative.”
Even though Hamas’s massacre brought about an Israeli response that destroyed hundreds of miles of terror tunnels and the buildings above them, Hamdan portrayed the outcome of the war as “victory” for Gaza, owing to what he referred to as the “resistance.”
“The victory of Gaza, its resoluteness […] had led to an outcome that the philosophy of resistance is a victorious philosophy and the axis [the Iran-led “Axis of Resistance”] was able to wage its war with all its components and was able to enter into new spheres of confrontation such as Yemen, Iraq, and so on and so forth,” Hamdan said.
"Our freedom to emigrate from Gaza is guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights."
— Center for Peace Communications (@PeaceComCenter) February 27, 2025
Gazans on President Trump's call to grant safe haven to refugees fleeing Hamas brutality and the horrors of war.
Watch: pic.twitter.com/b6g8hpIije
"It would not be a forced migration… We are the ones who want to leave."
— Center for Peace Communications (@PeaceComCenter) February 26, 2025
Gazans respond to President Trump’s call for voluntary resettlement.
Watch:pic.twitter.com/cPXdAKkdtP
Netanyahu sends team to Cairo for Hamas ceasefire talks
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directed the negotiation team to head to Cairo on Thursday to resume discussions on the continuation of the hostage deal with Hamas following the completion of Phase 1.Hamas: the only way the remaining hostages will be freed is through commitment to deal
The decision came after the premier held consultations centering on whether Jerusalem would send a delegation for the next stage of negotiations.
Following the announcement, anonymous Israeli officials told reporters that Jerusalem expects Hamas to release additional captives as early as Saturday, in exchange for an extension of the truce.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff is set to visit the region early next week, including a stop in Israel.
Witkoff announced on Tuesday that Israel will send a delegation to Doha or Cairo to advance Phase 2 of the hostage deal. Speaking at an American Jewish Committee meeting in Washington, he highlighted significant progress and efforts to secure the release of more hostages. Witkoff added that he may join the talks if they yield positive results.
In an interview with Fox News’ “Fox & Friends” on Thursday, Witkoff said that the administration’s ability to get Phase 1 of the deal over the finish line was “an accomplishment in and of itself.”
On the ongoing negotiations with Hamas on Phase 2, Witkoff noted that the president was “intolerant toward terrorists; that’s a fact. He’s got a red line with regard to people who do heinous things like this.
“There’s no room for Hamas in Gaza or in the West Bank,” the U.S. envoy said of Jerusalem’s condition that the Strip be fully demilitarized. “You can see from their actions that they haven’t earned that right to be there, so that’s the president’s position and we follow that direction.”
Discussions on the return of the remaining hostages are set to begin in Cairo in the coming days, and Israel intends to send a delegation to these talks, building on the groundwork established over the past two weeks in the U.S. between Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and Witkoff, Israel Hayom reported on Wednesday.
Hamas has stated that the only way the remaining hostages will be freed is through a commitment to a ceasefire deal, according to a Thursday morning statement from the terrorist organization.
"We reiterate that the only way to secure the release of the occupation’s prisoners in Gaza is through negotiation and adherence to the agreed-upon terms," Hamas's statement reads. "Any attempts by Netanyahu and his government to backtrack on or obstruct the agreement will only lead to further suffering for the prisoners and their families."
"The occupation’s attempts to obstruct the release of our prisoners have failed in the face of the movement’s insistence on the implementation of the occupation’s commitments, as well as the efforts of mediators in Egypt and Qatar and their decisive role in pressuring the occupation," the statement reads.
"We have closed the door on the enemy’s false justifications, leaving it with no option but to begin negotiations for the second phase."
Hamas's statement comes as the remains of four hostages were returned to Israel. Some 600 Palestinian prisoners will be released, pending official confirmation of their bodies.
Hamas is the enemy of humanity https://t.co/N5NhQ2iFXk
— Israeli Citizen Spox (@IsrCitizenSpox) February 27, 2025
We recognized their faces and held onto their stories. A mother and her two boys, torn from home by Hamas, became the symbol of heartbreak and resilience. Now, an entire nation stands together to mourn them, to honor them, and to ensure the world never forgets. pic.twitter.com/gwusS3O4de
— HonestReporting (@HonestReporting) February 27, 2025
🎗 In Kfir’s Eyes.
— Frum TikTok (@FrumTikTok) February 27, 2025
A new awareness video, produced with advanced technology, illustrates the kidnapping event and the horrors of captivity through the eyes of Kfir Bibas, a 9-month-old redhead baby who was kidnapped and murdered along with his 4-year-old brother and their… pic.twitter.com/vnzZ65htF9
🆘 59 hostages remain trapped in Gaza
— Eylon Levy (@EylonALevy) February 27, 2025
🆘 36 are confirmed murdered, 23 presumed alive
Hamas will ALWAYS want to hold live hostages as insurance, to continue plotting the next October 7 Massacre.
Pressure Hamas' state sponsors NOW! pic.twitter.com/jaM6KYMyrj
These are the 24 hostages still held in Gaza. They include one Thai and one Nepali. There have been 'signs of life' from 17 of them at some point (marked 🔸️). The remains of 35 others, who have been declared dead by the IDF, are also being held.🧵
— Saul Sadka (@Saul_Sadka) February 27, 2025
From top left:
1. Eitan… https://t.co/bl5TfyXQ9J pic.twitter.com/lKbKJT4hnU
The only time President Biden or Harris spoke of the hostages was in reference to 'the need to end the GAZA war immediately', the hostages were always a throw-in to 'we need to end the war NOW'.
— Ron M. (@Jewtastic) February 27, 2025
Daniel Rubenstein says on @AlArabiya_Eng that it's time for Muslim leaders to speak out against Hamas for starting a war, taking hostages, holding them in horrific conditions, chaining them, using them as slaves, and demanding a ransom for their return. @paulrubens pic.twitter.com/5dHjki8VRQ
— Israeli Citizen Spox (@IsrCitizenSpox) February 27, 2025
The moral hazard involved in returning living convicts in return for the bodies of hostages is beyond compression.
— Saul Sadka (@Saul_Sadka) February 27, 2025
If, in future, terror organizations remember that Israel pays for bodies in the same way it pays for live hostages, there is no longer any motive to go to the…
Yarden Bibas told his family that while he was in captivity in Gaza, his captors informed him that if he converted to Islam, they would treat him much better. He responded, "I was born a Jew, and I will die a Jew." After rejecting their offer, they refused to feed him for two… pic.twitter.com/h2dCgFKowK
— Avraham Berkowitz (@GlobalRabbi) February 26, 2025
Iair Horn, a survivor of 498 harrowing days in Hamas terrorist captivity in Gaza, shares that he cannot fully recover until his brother, Eitan, who is still kidnapped in Gaza, is released. pic.twitter.com/fs7IevcpRV
— StandWithUs (@StandWithUs) February 27, 2025
Eitan Yahalomi, 12, was taken hostage to Gaza on October 7 along with his dad. Although Eitan was released in November, his father was not.
— Marina Medvin 🇺🇸 (@MarinaMedvin) February 26, 2025
Today, his father is being returned in a casket. He was alive just months ago.pic.twitter.com/3BoGgmNHDb
Released hostage Eliya Cohen was initially held in captivity with murdered hostage Ori Danino, z’’l.
— Hen Mazzig (@HenMazzig) February 27, 2025
Before his death, Ori made Eliya promise that if he survived, he would ensure a Torah scroll was written in his memory. Yesterday, Eliya fulfilled that promise.
In a ceremony… pic.twitter.com/FFMA4WE55m
While we were at the lookout where the female IDF field observers were murdered on October 7th, we sang Shir La'Maalot after laying a wreath on the memorial https://t.co/MOL7XaegeA pic.twitter.com/SgRHAZYG2y
— Documenting Israel (@DocumentIsrael) February 26, 2025
French President Macron after the identification of French-Israeli slain hostage Ohad Yahalomi:
— Hen Mazzig (@HenMazzig) February 27, 2025
“The death of our compatriot Ohad Yahalomi has been confirmed. I share the immense pain of his family and loved ones.
France lost fifty of its children in the infamy of October 7.… pic.twitter.com/p4dOKeO9UX
Thank you to ambassadors and diplomats from 🇺🇸🇬🇧🇩🇪🇫🇷🇪🇸🇦🇷🇮🇹ans others for coming to Hostages’ Square to pay respects to the murdered Bibas family and light memorial candles. pic.twitter.com/vZOxlqRZxA
— Eylon Levy (@EylonALevy) February 26, 2025
Shame on you @Keir_Starmer. pic.twitter.com/EurHJEM5e6
— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) February 27, 2025
It is embarrassing & disappointing #Toronto and 🇨🇦 refuses to join the international community:
— Kevin Vuong (@KevinVuongMP) February 27, 2025
Berlin 🇩🇪
Budapest 🇭🇺
Buenos Aires 🇦🇷
Frankfurt 🇩🇪
Jerusalem 🇮🇱
Madrid 🇪🇸
New York 🇺🇸
Niagara Falls 🇺🇸
Paris 🇫🇷
Rio De Janeiro 🇧🇷
San Francisco 🇺🇸
In honouring the Bibas family. 🧡 pic.twitter.com/WFwFgoSVcM
IDF Halted Defeat of Hamas to Spare Hostages
The IDF was capable of concluding the war against Hamas but refrained from striking nearly a third of Gaza to avoid harming hostages, Dr. Harel Chorev, a senior researcher at the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies, told the Combat Antisemitism Movement on Feb. 18.IDF presents internal probes of Oct. 7 failures
He added that the IDF has achieved a level of operational freedom in Gaza that allows it, even to this day, to be able to cross the enclave within hours.
Israel has two significant areas of leverage over Hamas, he said. "One is obviously the military, once we decide to go back to war; desirably, without the hostages, or at least with very few of them."
"And the second leverage is what Gaza, and Hamas particularly, needs for reconstruction; all the resources for reconstruction."
While Israel allow necessities such as food and water into Gaza, it would not permit resources to enter such as cement, iron, and other materials that could be used by Hamas to rebuild its military infrastructure.
Furthermore, regional donor countries such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE are also unwilling to send these materials into Gaza. "Without them forgoing their weapons, nothing will be advanced," he noted.
He said the most likely replacement for Hamas as the governmental entity in Gaza would be other Palestinians, albeit not the Palestinian Authority. "The PA doesn't enjoy any legitimacy in Gaza."
"We hear all kinds of commentators saying [deradicalization] is a fantasy....I want to say loud and clear, deradicalization is a process that we see in many, many places, including in the Arab and Muslim world. And it's necessary."
The Israel Defense Forces presented on Thursday night the findings of its internal probes into the failures leading up to and during the Hamas-led cross-border terrorist attacks and the resulting massacre of 1,200 people in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.IDF’s Oct. 7 probes show it misread Hamas for years, left southern Israel utterly vulnerable
“The State of Israel chose a policy of ‘conflict management’ vis-à-vis Hamas, whose purpose is to preserve and improve the existing reality, and from which the military methods of operation were derived,” the IDF charged in the probes, which were geared to draw operational lessons and not take aim at decisions by the political echelons.
“It is wrong to ‘manage’ a conflict with an enemy whose goal is your destruction,” the top-level military investigations stated on Thursday, concluding that Hamas terrorists “took advantage of Israel’s policy of ‘conflict management’ to advance an orderly plan for a broad attack.”
The report focused on four main topics: The development of the IDF’s “perceptions” of the Gaza Strip between 2018 and Oct. 7, 2023; the intelligence and decision-making processes on the eve of the attack; battles during the first days of the war; and “additional focal points.”
Israel Katz, the Israeli minister of defense, stated on Thursday night that he ordered all findings to be forwarded to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “and to prepare to present any probe deemed necessary in detail.”
Katz’s announcement came following complaints from the Prime Minister’s Office that the findings were not shared with the premier prior to their publication, according to reports in Hebrew media.
Investigation into the hours leading up to the massacre revealed that the first signs of an impending invasion were detected around 9 p.m., some nine-and-a-half hours before Hamas and Palestinian Arabs attacked.
Warning signs included preparations for rocket fire, operatives entering tunnels and the activation of dozens of Israeli SIM cards inside the Strip.
The offices of Netanyahu and then-Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant were informed of the developments during the night; however, political officials were not woken up by their military secretaries.
After the attack was launched at 6:29 a.m. the next day—on Shabbat and the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah—some 5,500 terrorists infiltrated Israeli territory through 114 breaches in the security fence, and using seven vessels and six paragliders, according to the IDF’s findings. The Hamas-led terrorists were said to have breached the border under the cover of 3,889 rockets and 57 drones.
The military now understands that Hamas had gradually prepared plans to “break the defense of the Gaza Division” since 2016. Yet when the Military Intelligence Directorate obtained Hamas’s attack plans, dubbed “Jericho Wall,” in 2022, they were dismissed as unrealistic.
The Israel Defense Forces on Thursday presented its top-level investigations into the military’s failures during the lead-up to the Hamas terror group’s October 7, 2023, onslaught, and on the day itself.Entire Gaza Division was overrun for hours, and IDF didn’t know it; 767 troops faced 5,000 terrorists
Some 5,000 Hamas-led terrorists from the Gaza Strip burst into southern Israel on October 7, 2023, carrying out a murderous rampage of unprecedented intensity and breadth. The IDF struggled to mount a response, its own probes now specify, with bases closest to the border overrun and the chain of command broken amid the chaos.
The attack claimed the lives of some 1,200 people in Israel, with another 251 people kidnapped and much of the area devastated. Most victims were civilians.
The material released by the IDF underlines the colossal failure for years ahead of Hamas’s invasion, in the final hours before it, and in the course of the terror group’s slaughter and abductions. It was only recognized months after the invasion and slaughter that the military’s Gaza Division, the regional unit responsible for the Strip and for protecting southern Israel, was “defeated” for several hours. The chaos and confusion catastrophically slowed the fightback on the day.
The IDF details intelligence material that was insistently misinterpreted over the years; the military’s overreliance on having an early warning to prepare its defenses; the degree to which troops were massively outnumbered by the invading terrorists; and the failure to understand what Hamas was doing during the attack.
The probes at the General Staff level are focused on four main topics:
The development of the IDF’s perception of Gaza over the past decade
The “perception” probe found that the IDF believed, prior to the October 7 onslaught, that the Hamas terror group in Gaza did not pose a significant threat to Israel, that it was uninterested in a large-scale war, that its tunnel networks had been significantly degraded, and that any cross-border threat would be thwarted by Israel’s high-tech border fence.
The investigation highlighted a widening gap between the IDF’s perceptions of Hamas, and what the terror group was doing in reality.
The “intelligence assessments” investigation found that the Military Intelligence Directorate received information and plans outlining Hamas’s intent to launch a wide-scale attack against Israel over a period of several years, but dismissed the plans as unrealistic and unfeasible.
Instead, the Military Intelligence Directorate falsely assumed that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was a pragmatist who was not seeking a major escalation with Israel, and that the terror group viewed its 2021 war with Israel as a failure and was focusing its capabilities on rocket fire, and not a ground invasion.
As part of its investigations into its failures during the lead-up to the Hamas terror group’s October 7, 2023, onslaught, the IDF has now determined that Hamas had decided in April 2022 to launch such an attack. By September 2022, the terror group was at 85 percent readiness. And it decided in May 2023 to launch the assault on October 7.
An Israel Defense Forces series of investigations into the battles that took place during Hamas’s October 7, 2023, onslaught found that it was only recognized months after the invasion and slaughter that the military’s Gaza Division, the regional unit responsible for the Strip and for protecting southern Israel, was “defeated” for several hours. The chaos and confusion catastrophically slowed the fightback on the day.
When the attack began, involving over 5,000 terrorists, just 767 IDF troops were stationed on the border.
As a result of not realizing in real-time that the Gaza Division had fallen, the General Staff did not understand the severity of the attack and failed to put together an accurate picture of the operational situation. This became a major challenge during the efforts to block the attack.
The investigations into the battles found that the IDF failed to protect Israeli civilians and it was not prepared for a wide-scale surprise attack.
The Times of Israel and other reporters were presented with the investigations conducted by the Southern Command, Operations Division, Israeli Air Force, and Israeli Navy.
The investigations found the following:
At 6:29 a.m. on October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a wide-scale surprise ground invasion with over 5,000 terrorists, coinciding with nearly 4,700 rockets fired at Israel. The attack claimed the lives of some 1,200 people in Israel, with another 251 people kidnapped and much of the area devastated. Most victims were civilians.
For nearly 10 hours, the IDF’s Gaza Division, the regional division responsible for the border with the Strip, was defeated and overrun. Just over 700 troops had been guarding the 59-kilometer-long border, many of whom were killed.
Most of Hamas’s atrocities were carried out within the first six hours of the attack. During that time, Hamas had operational control over many Israeli border communities, IDF posts, and main routes in the western Negev area.
Only in the evening hours, after the military flooded the Gaza border area with troops, nominated senior officers to handle different fighting locations, and massive efforts by both civilians and security forces, did the IDF regain control over the area.
Clearing the area of the remaining terrorists took several more days.
Palestinians move towards the Nahal Oz border crossing with Israel, east of Gaza City, on October 7, 2023. (Mahmud Hams / AFP)
The investigations found three main points of failure that enabled the onslaught:
The attack was a surprise with no intelligence warning.
Hamas had numerous forces and was attacking several areas simultaneously.
The IDF had far fewer forces and minimal capabilities available.
The IDF was surprised by the attack itself, the number of Hamas terrorists and the number of areas under attack, the ability of Hamas to maneuver around quickly, and their cruelty, all of which were planned in advance, according to the investigations.
The investigation found that under the IDF’s assumption that there was no imminent threat, the military’s deployment on the border was according to protocol. Troops took up their posts at dawn according to protocol as well. There was no bolstering of forces in light of the intelligence indications received overnight, but drones were dispatched for surveillance missions.
🚨🚨 IDF PUBLISHES ITS INTERNAL INVESTIGATION ON THE EVENTS DURING THE NIGHT BEFORE HAMAS MASSACRE ON 7/10 (Long post)
— Amichai Stein (@AmichaiStein1) February 27, 2025
**21:00 on 7/10** - IDF Southern Command detects dozens of simulated SIMs becoming operational across the Gaza Strip. Discussions are held with the Shin Bet,…
IDF seizes Hamas plans for mass attack in Judea, Samaria and central Israel
Defense Minister Israel Katz revealed on Thursday that security forces recently discovered Hamas files proving the terrorist group had plans to carry out a large-scale assault on communities in Judea and Samaria and along the Seam Line security barrier.13 wounded in terrorist car-ramming in central Israel
“Hamas files have been seized that had a purpose of attacking towns in Judea and Samaria and along the Seam Line,” Katz said in remarks to heads of regional councils, Israel Hayom reported.
“The communities in Judea and Samaria are the protective wall of most of the State of Israel,” the defense minister declared. “When Judea and Samaria are protected, the large cities are protected. We must be on the offensive in Judea and defeat the enemy.”
The Yesha Council umbrella group that represents the approximately 500,000 Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria said in a response: “The Oct. 7, [2023], terror attack must not be repeated—nor in the Seam Line towns, nor in the cities of the Sharon [coastal plain], nor in Judea and Samaria.
“The way to prevent this is a clear defeat of terrorism—not only through targeted operations, but in a comprehensive move that will neutralize the threat to the cities of the Center and Judea and Samaria,” it added.
Tulkarem, a Palestinian terrorist hub in Samaria, east of Netanya, where Israeli forces have been conducting intensive counter-terrorism operations since last month, is located eight miles from the densely populated coastal plain.
Jerusalem stepped up raids after explosives were discovered on five buses in the cities of Bat Yam and Holon, south of Tel Aviv, on Feb. 20, which authorities called “an attempt to perpetrate a series of terrorist attacks with mass casualties.” One of the bombs bore an Arabic message referencing Tulkarem. No one was injured.
Thirteen people were injured, including one critically, in a terrorist car-ramming attack at a bus stop near the Karkur Junction, east of Caesarea, according to police and medical officials.
Eli Bin, director-general of the Magen David Adom emergency response group, said that paramedics treated casualties with injuries of varying degrees, including two seriously wounded people. The victim that sustained critical wounds is a 17-year-old girl, MDA confirmed.
Israel Police spokesperson Aryeh Doron told the Channel 12 channel that “after carrying out the car-ramming at the bus stop, the terrorist drove another few hundred meters, hitting an officer and his car.” He was “eliminated” at the scene shortly after the incident, Doron added.
Israeli Police Commissioner Daniel Levy arrived at the scene of the attack.
The terrorist was subsequently identified by authorities as a 53-year-old Palestinian from the Jenin area in nearby northern Samaria who was illegally residing in the Jewish state while married to an Arab citizen of Israel.
The terrorist who carried out the attack in Karkur: Jamil Ziyud, 53, from the village of Masilat al-Kharthiya in the Jenin region, resides in Israel as a foreigner and is married to an Israeli citizen from Umm al-Fahm.
— The Mossad: Satirical and Awesome (@TheMossadIL) February 27, 2025
He's dead. pic.twitter.com/9zhEZEG5wJ
The terrorist 👇 https://t.co/CpLof7Rm5s pic.twitter.com/WMpjLLXXaP
— Raylan Givens (@JewishWarrior13) February 27, 2025
This is how the enemy reports the attack on innocent civilians.
— The Mossad: Satirical and Awesome (@TheMossadIL) February 27, 2025
"Complex operation". He ran over people. pic.twitter.com/509LbJbhsb
🚨WATCH: About a month and a half ago, IDF Fighters and the Shin Bet thwarted a terrorist attack that was supposed to take place in the immediate future. On January 11, the fighters arrested two terrorists who were already on their way to the attack with two M16 rifles, a large… pic.twitter.com/Pekex521Bp
— Raylan Givens (@JewishWarrior13) February 27, 2025
Bibas Murders: The One Thing No One is Talking About | Israel Undiplomatic
Ambassador Mark Regev and Journalist Ruthie Blum spar over what Israel’s reaction should be to #Hamas’ brutal murder of two children and their mother (Shiri, Kfir & Ariel) and 83 year-old man (Oded Lifchitz). What should Israel learn from this? Should Israel move on to Phase 2 or call it quits?
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Context of Current Events
01:52 The Tragic Case of the Bebas Family
04:11 Understanding Hamas and Its Ideology
06:47 The Broader Palestinian Context
09:45 The Role of the Palestinian Authority
12:45 Public Diplomacy and Israel's Image
15:27 The Debate on Atrocities and Public Perception
19:05 The Complexity of Israeli Politics
23:30 Reflections on Historical Decisions
29:03 The Aftermath of Disengagement from Gaza
33:51 Looking Ahead: Possibilities for Peace
Erin Molan: Bat Beep Crazy: Erin Molan UNLEASHES on Greta Thunberg in Light of Bibas FuneralIn 'Bat Beep Crazy' Episode 6, Erin Molan delivers a raw, emotional tribute to the Bibas family funeral, unleashing fury at a world that shrugs at terror. She tears into Greta Thunberg’s pro-Palestine pivot, Jeremy Corbyn’s absurdity, and the London School of Economics’ Hamas apologia, then pivots to Trump’s cabinet with Elon Musk, Biden’s media flops, and woke delusions from Jane Fonda to Joy Reid—all with her signature bite.
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 - A Nation Mourns the Bibas Family
01:29 - Yarden Bibas Funeral Speech
03:31 - Israel’s Unyielding Strength
04:31 - Greta Thunberg’s Hypocrisy Unmasked
07:43 - Jeremy Corbyn’s Clueless Crusade
09:11 - London School of Economics’ Hamas Farce
10:38 - Trump’s Cabinet and Musk’s Masterstroke
13:47 - Trump vs. Biden: Media Matchup
15:00 - Jane Fonda’s Empathy Delusion
18:32 - Joy Reid’s Tearful Farewell
19:36 - Outro: Madness Marches On
Being senator ‘small’ compared to courage of hostages, IDF, families, Fetterman saysSome 50 minutes into his interview with Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), one of the most vocally pro-Israel members of Congress, Dan Senor prepared to wrap up the episode of his Call Me Back podcast.Call me Back Podcast: John Fetterman's Israel
“Senator Fetterman. Thank you for courage, for your leadership and for—,” Senor began.
“It’s not courage. It really isn’t,” Fetterman cut in. “What’s courage is being forced to live in a tunnel, or in the dark for 500 days, or being a soldier and fighting for the survival of your nation, and being in those families, where they’re living under the risk of rocket attacks.”
“That’s courage,” Fetterman said. “Being a senator—that’s small compared to that.”
“Well, then I’ll thank you for your clarity,” Senor said. “How about that?”
A writer, investor and political adviser, Senor recently interviewed Yoav Gallant, the former Israeli defense minister, at length on the podcast.
“Sen. Fetterman has spent meaningful time with the families of hostages, with IDF soldiers and also children—now orphans—of Israelis murdered on Oct. 7,” Senor told JNS. “It’s like he has tried to internalize their experiences. He is a deeply empathetic person.”An entire nation mourned yesterday as Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas were laid to rest, following a procession through streets of Israel that were lined with thousands of Israelis. As Yarden Bibas delivered eulogies for his wife and children who were murdered by terrorists in Gaza, we were all reminded of the millions of people around the world who celebrated or justified the attacks that shattered their lives and so many others. While much of that moral confusion has emanated from the Left of the political spectrum, the courage and moral conviction of one leader on the Left has stood out.
Over the past 16 months, Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman has been one of the staunchest supporters of Israel’s war against Hamas. Fetterman, a Democrat who is not Jewish, has been more outspoken in his support for Israel than most of his Jewish colleagues. As a result, Fetterman has gone from being a hero of the Left to becoming a lightning rod for many progressives. And yet, he has not backed down from the fight he perceives as a decisive turning point for his party, and a test for whether or not it will continue to stand for true liberal values.
John Fetterman, Senator and former Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania, joined us to discuss his controversial stance on an issue that has divided the Democratic party, and what the future holds for his party.
Timestamps:
0:00 – Introduction
3:35 – Personal background
12:36 – Tree of Life shooting
16:09 – 2022 Senate run & the stroke
19:50 – Depression
21:45 – The day of October 7
24:12 – Factions within the Democratic Party
27:02 – Pressure to quiet down
29:46 – The genocide argument
31:07 – Does the pressure ever make him pause?
33:55 – The protest at his home
37:30 – A potential model for how Democrats could emerge following October 7
40:30 – College campuses
41:49 – Efforts to sanction the ICC
43:40 – Recent Trump statement on Gaza
46:03 – Meeting with October 7 orphans and the hostage posters at his office
We must never allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon.
— U.S. Senator John Fetterman (@SenFettermanPA) February 26, 2025
I fully support what’s necessary to destroy their capabilities. pic.twitter.com/D7NmVNVwN1
Comedy Cellar: Live from the Table: Gaza and the World's Greatest Bank Robber with Liel LeibovitzLiel Leibovitz is an author and editor-at-large for Tablet Magazine and the host of its weekly podcast, Rootless. He is a senior fellow at Hudson Institute. His work focuses on thinking about anti-Semitism as a national security threat.
178: Yoram Ettinger: how many Palestinians are there REALLY in Judea & Samaria and Gaza?"There are two million Palestinians in Gaza!", they cry. All the time.
It's repeated as fact.
"Bringing Judea and Samaria into Israel would create an Arab majority".
Is that right?
Quite apart from being untrue, the problem with these statements is that Israel creates policy based on them. So is it time to establish real facts about population and childbirth?
Where is the population momentum? Does it lie with Jewish Israelis or their Arab neighbours?
Our guest today is Yoram Ettinger, who challenges conventional narratives about population trends in Israel and the Palestinian territories.
His extensive experience diverges from most assumptions.
‘Unbearably sad’: Yarden Bibas’ heartfelt goodbye to family killed in captivitySky News host Sharri Markson discusses the “unbearably sad” funeral for the Bibas family in Israel.
“Israel was at a standstill as Yarden Bibas said farewell to his wife Shiri and their two beautiful boys Ariel and Kfir,” Ms Markson said.
“That was so hard to watch it was unbearably sad.”
Alex Ryvchin: My home was firebombed | The Brendan O’Neill ShowAlex Ryvchin – CEO of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry – is the latest guest on The Brendan O’Neill Show. Alex joined Brendan to discuss the attacks on his family by anti-Semites, the surge in Jew hatred in Australia since the 7 October pogrom, and why anti-Zionism can’t be separated from anti-Semitism.
‘It’s shameful’: Wong under fire for meeting with Iran, Palestinians but not Israel‘Utterly wrong’: Penny Wong slammed over revelations she snubbed Israel at UN last yearForeign minister ‘refused’ to visit the site of ‘Jewish trauma’
Foreign Minister Penny Wong is under fire for failing to meet with representatives of Israel during a key United Nations session in which she “trashed” Australia’s bipartisan position on the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Senator Wong used her attendance at last September’s meeting of the UN General Assembly to push for a “clear timeline” for Palestinian statehood and call for Israel to agree to a ceasefire in its conflicts against Hamas and Hezbollah.
However, it has now been revealed that while the Foreign Minister found time to meet with representatives of Iran, the Palestinian Authority and a UN aid agency accused of employing individuals involved in the October 7 terrorist attacks, she failed to meet with any representatives of Israel.
Shadow foreign minister David Coleman denounced the decision on Thursday, telling Sky News Australia Senator Wong’s conduct was “shameful”.
“I think it’s consistent with the Foreign Minister’s approach to this issue overall. She has shamefully abandoned Israel in pursuit of a few votes in inner city contests against the greens. It is utterly wrong,” Mr Coleman said.
The UN meeting occurred just two months before Australia broke with the United States in backing a resolution demanding an end to Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories, with the Foreign Minister reportedly playing a key role in shifting votes in favour of the motion.
“For more than a few decades we had a bipartisan position in Australia on issues related to the Middle East and issues related to Israel,” Mr Coleman said.
“Penny Wong trashed that. Penny Wong walked away from that for a few votes and that is sordid. It is unacceptable.”Former Victorian Liberal Party president Michael Kroger slams Foreign Minister Penny for “refusing to visit the sites of “Jewish trauma” when she visited Israel.
“She’s [Penny Wong] has been very critical of the Jewish state Israel in so many ways,”
“When she was in Israel last year, she refused to visit Nova… the foreign minister of the country went to Israel three months after this shocking slaughter from the Hamas scum, and she refused to visit the sites of Jewish trauma.”
Labor’s ‘activism’ on Israel and Palestine dispute is not about achieving real world resultsLiberal Senator and Former Ambassador to Israel Dave Sharma says Labor’s “activism” on the Israel and Palestine dispute is not actually about “achieving results on the ground”.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong failed to meet Israeli representatives at the United Nations last year.
Ms Wong had instead met with Iran, the Palestinian Authority and former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern as she called for a timeline for a Palestinian state.
Australia’s FM @SenatorWong gets dressing down from @SenPaterson
— Menachem Vorchheimer (@MenachemV) February 27, 2025
“I’m very, very happy for the Australian Jewish Community to cast their verdict about who has been more supportive of them over last 15 months, whether it’s you or me, I think the verdict would be overwhelming” pic.twitter.com/mZJU1z00j0Heart breaking@AustralianLabor Government never even considered illuminating any national buildings in colour orange in solidarity with the #BibasFamily who were murdered by Hamas terrorists
— Menachem Vorchheimer (@MenachemV) February 27, 2025
Many western nations did so@ZionistFedAus @ECAJewry @australian @2GB873 @3AW693 pic.twitter.com/pfHsXQ8HhZDeeply antisemitic & racist
— Menachem Vorchheimer (@MenachemV) February 27, 2025
President of Australia Palestine Advocacy Network Nasser Mashni criticised by Australia’s Foreign Minister @SenatorWong & Liberal @SenPaterson for his seemingly deeply antisemitic & racist views@theage @abcnews @TomElliott3AW @SBSNews @australian pic.twitter.com/eef37PoB5a
Israel ‘values life’ unlike Hamas’ murderous ideologyAustralian Jewish Association President David Adler says Israel “values life” unlike Hamas and their murderous ideology.
Thousands of people gathered on the streets of Israel to mourn the deaths of the Bibas family.
Mr Adler told Sky News host Peter Credlin that Hamas are “extreme barbaric terrorists”.
Coalition pledges immigration overhaulThe Liberal-National Coalition will introduce a specific section on antisemitism to the Australian citizenship test and establish a dedicated antisemitism task force if elected to government.Depravity on display for the world to see
This was announced by shadow Immigration Minister Dan Tehan, who was speaking at an Australian Jewish Association (AJA) online forum.
He said the opposition has comprehensive plans to address rising antisemitism, particularly through immigration and citizenship reforms.
“We will place a specific section within the Australian citizenship test which will deal with antisemitism, and we will have an educational module which will deal with antisemitism,” Mr Tehan said.
“If you become, or want to become, a citizen of this nation, then you will have a specific section that you will need to undertake with regards to antisemitism.”
The proposed antisemitism task force would be led by the Australian Federal Police and incorporate ASIO, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, AUSTRAC, Australian Border Force and state police.
Mr Tehan told the event that the task force will have powers to refer visa holders involved in antisemitic acts for immediate cancellation and deportation.
“If necessary, we will amend the section 501 character provisions of the Migration Act to ensure this antisemitic conduct is captured by the law and applies retrospectively for all acts of hatred towards the Jewish community since the 7 October 2023 terrorist attacks,” he said.
The Coalition’s plan includes issuing a new ministerial direction to the AFP to prioritise addressing antisemitism, including unsolved crimes such as doxing, display of terrorist symbols, incitement and harassment.
Mr Tehan also confirmed that dual citizens who support proscribed terrorist organisations could face having their Australian citizenship revoked.
“For dual citizens… we should be looking at taking very, very serious steps,” he said, acknowledging that a court decision approximately 12 months ago has complicated the government’s ability to strip citizenship.
“We need to look strongly at that court judgment, and we need to find ways whereby the government can legislate so that we can look seriously at, once again, being able to use the threat of stripping their citizenship away from dual citizens who undertake this type of behaviour.”Just before this hostage swap, a story made headlines from Australia. Two nurses—one male and one female—who were passing the time on their shift happened upon an Israeli gentleman in a chat application. Their conversation was recorded and subsequently went viral. Both nurses were Muslim, and when they found out they were conversing with an Israeli, told him that he would soon die. The two divulged that not only would they not treat an Israeli patient, but they had already killed some in their care.
The response to this incident was encouraging, and it’s most likely why the story was overshadowed by the Bibas family’s return home. The New South Wales Health Minister immediately released a strong statement denouncing the comments and fired both nurses. The minister also promised a full investigation of all hospital employees to ensure that such atrocious and unprofessional behavior would not happen on his watch.
This was the correct response, but it wasn’t the only one. More than 50 Muslim leaders and organizations rallied in support of the nurses, claiming that antisemitism was being weaponized against the two and that the public shaming needed to cease.
What’s amazing about this incident is that it exposes how morally bankrupt the attacks on Israel are. Much of the vitriol towards the Jewish state is based on a false accusation that Israel treats its Arab population as second-class citizens. This couldn’t be further from the truth.
Even in the wake of the Oct. 7 atrocities, Israel has gone above and beyond what any nation would do for its enemies. Injured terrorists are provided health care in Israeli hospitals. Even senior Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar—the mastermind of the Oct. 7 massacre—was treated for a brain tumor while in Israeli custody. And still, the Australian nurses threatened any Israeli with death. And let’s be honest, they meant to threaten “any” Jew with death under their watch.
There is no doubt that Messiah’s first stop will be the health-care facilities in Israel. If you’d like to see a glimpse of the coexistence we all long for, it already lives in the hospitals. Israeli medical professionals not only treat every person who’s brought in the door, but many of the doctors are Arab Israelis. This type of cooperation cannot be found anywhere else in the Middle East.
Most Jews have responded to the events in Gaza and Australia with disdain and horror. And rightfully so. The actions in both cases demand repudiation.
But there is a silver lining. These hate-filled actors show the world their true colors. As ironic as it is to say, the masks are off, and it’s causing a shift in public opinion. More and more people are realizing that there will never be a two-state solution and that those who seek our demise only do so out of pure hatred of the Jewish people.
To all those who loathe us, I say keep it coming. The more you parade around the depths of depravity, the more the world can see who you are. As hard as it is to watch and as challenging as it is to be on the receiving end, know that your actions will have far-reaching consequences.Australian nurses recently threatened to murder their Jewish patients. "It starts with the Jews and the Israelis, but it never ends with the Jews and the Israelis," former member of Knesset @rutilande said on LiveNOW from FOX. pic.twitter.com/tqqcXMhLIC
— Israeli Citizen Spox (@IsrCitizenSpox) February 27, 2025
Peta Credlin: ‘Multiculturalism has failed’ as students chant ‘Allahu Akbar’ at schoolSky News host Peta Credlin says “multiculturalism has failed” as students from a Western Sydney school were chanting Allahu Akbar.
“If any further evidence were needed,” Ms Credlin said.
“Yesterday’s scenes from a Western Sydney school of students … chanting Allahu Akbar, shows multiculturalism has failed.”
🚨 SCHOOL OF HATE EXPOSED
— Avi Yemini (@OzraeliAvi) February 27, 2025
The Sydney school that turned into a Jihadi rally site yesterday has a chilling history of radical Islamic extremism that the mainstream media is leaving out of their reporting today
So you know what to do...
Full story: https://t.co/Of4WJSh6aZ pic.twitter.com/FkJnyVpjfXUnbelievable
— Australian Jewish Association (@AustralianJA) February 27, 2025
The NSW Government caved to the Allah Akbar protests at Granville public school and reinstated the radical sheik according to the extremist activists.
Could this be true? pic.twitter.com/XecgFL2VpeTerrorist event to be hosted by Byron Bay Community Centre
— Australian Jewish Association (@AustralianJA) February 27, 2025
An event celebrating a terrorist who is serving prison time for murdering multiple Jewish people will be hosted by the Byron Bay Community Centre.
Celebrating terrorism is alway evil but it's particularly… pic.twitter.com/StwZvFla6XI have some experience in high-level speech writing. Every word is meticulously thought out.
— Eitan Fischberger (@EFischberger) February 27, 2025
When the Palestinian Ambassador says "abducted," he knows exactly what he's doing. pic.twitter.com/MPoLS7J7DDYou're spot on, @paulrubens. Social media intelligence tools show that between January 26 and February 26, 2025, the phrase “Palestinian hostages” appeared on X over 190k times.
— Jewish Onliner (@JewishOnliner) February 27, 2025
Now take the same timeframe in 2023—before October 7. Guess how many posts used that phrase?
One. https://t.co/ZtaQoo7n31 pic.twitter.com/wUWB4ytkKdMehdi Hasan wants us to stop posting about the Bibas family because it makes his allies look bad.
— Eitan Fischberger (@EFischberger) February 27, 2025
So in response, here's a thread of some jaw-droppingly evil posts mocking their deaths.
These are Mehdi's allies. We must hold these images up to the world and scream 🧵 pic.twitter.com/SZszLd0B0LEuropean Parliament member @RimaHas thinks Hamas is legitimate. What part made them legitimate? When they blew up a bus full of kids on Dizingoff or when they raped and murdered girls and then booby trapped their orifices with grenades? https://t.co/NGhac5rxyJ
— The Mossad: Satirical and Awesome (@TheMossadIL) February 27, 2025Toure once said of a Holocaust survivor who succeeded in America that this demonstrated "the power of whiteness." So he's not just a bad writer, a third-rate thinker, and ignorant about the constitutional structure of the United States. He's an anti-Semitic pile of offal. https://t.co/aA2B8CzeKM
— John Podhoretz (@jpodhoretz) February 27, 2025Wow. This loathsome, heavily government-funded Muslim org (formerly CAIR Canada) just condemned Michael Rapaport more than they’ve ever spoken up about any Islamic terrorist attack ever committed. They have yet to condemn a single act t of Palestinian terrorism on or after Oct 7,… https://t.co/bumKW4tSDr
— Hashem (@HashemAllMighty) February 27, 2025Just a reminder that Max Blumenthal's wife, Anya Parampil, a Hamas mouthpiece and antisemitic conspiracy theorist who also contributes to the disinformation outlet known as the Grayzone, may be even more malicious and deceitful than he is. pic.twitter.com/4pFBIFwN22
— GnasherJew®גנאשר (@GnasherJew) February 27, 2025Russell Brand was right. pic.twitter.com/y14WDKPSrW
— Israel Advocacy Movement (@israel_advocacy) February 26, 2025You literally said Christians are being persecuted in Israel.
— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) February 26, 2025
Dangerous propaganda. https://t.co/pyYYfxpA6x pic.twitter.com/6OTKTcbHjn🚨 EXPOSED: The Insecure Failure Behind “ZORAN ZOLTANOUS”
— Shirion Collective (@ShirionOrg) February 27, 2025
📢 Share this to let @FBIChicago know of his donations to terror groups.
⚠️ “I support Hezbollah. I support Iran. I support China.”
👉 Meet Shandon Simpson, known online as “Zoran Zoltanous”, a failed soldier, failed… pic.twitter.com/74ESb5r5r5Pro-Palestine Mobs Have Rebranded as Anti-ICE Protesters
— Border Hawk (@BorderHawkNews) February 26, 2025
The same groups that have demonstrated & rioted across the US in support of Black Lives Matter and Palestine are now being deployed to protest & interfere with immigration enforcement, @Julio_Rosas11 told Border Hawk pic.twitter.com/YXqb6WxbwANOW: Pro-Palestine protesters gathered in Bay Ridge Brooklyn pic.twitter.com/ie8JlLhzQB
— Oliya Scootercaster 🛴 (@ScooterCasterNY) February 26, 2025They have just started their protests. Chanting “Gaza” over and over again.
— Angela Van Der Pluym (@anjewla90) February 26, 2025
This is on the same day Israel buries the Bibas family. https://t.co/9b8GMbqRdh pic.twitter.com/F7iPFM3ajO
Buy EoZ's books on Amazon!
"He's an Anti-Zionist Too!" cartoon book (December 2024)
PROTOCOLS: Exposing Modern Antisemitism (February 2022)
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