The days following the announcement of a “deal” between Israel and Hamas and the actual return of the 20 hostages to their homeland and family were marked by almost unrestricted joy and euphoria. People danced in the streets, were glued to their TV screens and the radio, and greeted each other with optimism and broad grins. Our sons and one daughter were finally coming home.
Listening to the speeches by Israeli politicians from both the government and the opposition induced feelings of pride and joy. We, as a people and a country, had succeeded against myriad enemies and nay-sayers and defeated our barbarous enemies on the battlefields. Good had triumphed over evil.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump extolled each other's virtues, the power of American and Israeli weapons, the courage of the Israeli people, and, of paramount importance, their soldiers. The goals set out on October 8, 2023: return of the hostages, destruction of Hamas, and the elimination of the threat in the South had almost been achieved.
Moreover, during this bitter, costly war, a near-fatal blow had been struck against Hezbollah, Syria had been defanged as an Iranian proxy, and the Iranian nuclear program had been severely degraded.
A high note
As an Israeli Jew who made aliyah from the United States, the achievements of this two-year war and the unflinching support of the Trump administration are a source of great comfort. The fact that the 20 hostages who returned looked, at least superficially, to be in stable physical condition raised our spirits. We entered Simchat Torah, the second anniversary of the brutal, murderous attack by Hamas, on a high note.
Life in Israel is never linear. Our trajectory is marked by highs and lows, ups and downs. One friend suggested it is like living on a trampoline, in this case on a “Trumpoline,” where you reach heights only to fall on your behind. Following a celebratory day of dancing and singing, with greetings of "chag sameach" (happy holiday) ringing in our ears, we quickly returned to reality.
Hamas was not following the agreed-upon schedule to release the hostages they had killed.
Cynical games
It is not new for Hamas to “play” cynical games. It cannot be trusted, and it acts according to standards of both civil and diplomatic conduct that differ greatly from Western norms. Its only goal now is to survive and continue to fight for the destruction of the State of Israel.
Any “agreement” it reaches is simply a ploy to maintain its power in Gaza and its stranglehold over the Palestinian people. This must not be allowed to happen.
The agreement reached to begin a ceasefire in Gaza involves many sovereign states. It requires that the bodies of all remaining hostages be returned for proper burial. Israelis are united in their determination that not one body of a hostage be left behind. Israel, the US, Egypt, Qatar, and the Abraham Accords partner countries bear the responsibility of forcing Hamas to fulfill the terms that put the ceasefire in place.
Media's moral obligation
The media also has a moral and professional obligation to pressure Hamas to hand over the remaining bodies.
In a recent headline, The New York Times reported: “Israel pressures Hamas to return bodies, but Gaza’s destruction poses a challenge.” This equivocation places the onus on Israel to undo Hamas’s failure to turn over bodies it has held for two years.
Once again, the NYT portrays Hamas as the victim. There is no evidence to back up the conjecture of the headline; Hamas knows exactly where the bodies are. It is simply stalling to buy more time for its survival.
Trump and Netanyahu spoke of a new era of peace and prosperity in the Middle East. Such a noble goal requires that the countries that seek such prosperity stand together against all forces that champion the path to war and destruction.
Israel cannot ignore October 7, 2023, the atrocities committed that day, and The New York Times report of a memo stating the desire of Yahya Sinwar and other Hamas leaders to murder and burn Israeli citizens and kibbutzim.
The leaders of the free world, our Arab neighbors, and the free press must not forget what happened. They should condemn Hamas without reservation. Then there will be a path to a better life for Jews, Christians, Muslims, Israelis, and Arabs in this region. Without such actions, it is premature to be euphoric.
The writer is a former provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at the College of Staten Island and distinguished emeritus professor of biochemistry and chemistry at the City University of New York. He lives in Rehovot. The opinions in this article are his own.