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An Immoral Hostage Deal

(Israel Hayom-JNS) Jonathan S. Tobin - For nearly five months, the Jewish world has been calling for the release of hostages taken by Hamas during the Oct. 7 massacres in Israel - all of them. But as ongoing negotiations for the release of the more than 100 Israelis still being held captive by Hamas in Gaza continue, something is missing from the discussion of the proposed terms for such a deal - a moral compass. Trading the lives of innocent Israeli civilians who were kidnapped from their homes on Oct. 7 for the release of Palestinians who have been convicted of acts of violence against Jews, including murder, is a bizarre and immoral concept. The hostage releases are supposed to be strung out over weeks as part of a process in which Hamas can play with the emotions of Israeli families as they hope and pray that their relatives will be let go - and that they are among those still alive. Hamas doesn't want to include captured soldiers, particularly female soldiers, in the early stages of the deal, preferring to hold them as bargaining chips for even higher prices. President Biden's talk of the need for a holiday pause in the Gaza fighting for Ramadan is off-base since no one in the international community seems to think it was wrong for Hamas to start a war on the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah.
2024-03-03 00:00:00
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