Race against time: The struggle to free Hamas' hostages

As the world learns more about the horrific conditions in which the terrorist organization has held many of the abducted Israelis, this is a stark reminder of the group's cruelty and sub-human ethos. One of the recently returned hostages was the skeletal Eli Sharabi, who came home to learn the heartbreaking news that his family had been murdered. Other hostages have suffered torture, starvation and unspeakable misery in captivity. We are learning more about this, from the first-hand eyewitness accounts of those hostages who have returned to Israel and their respective families.

Hamas doesn't care about human lives and has violated the truce agreement on multiple occasions, so an assertive response that is in the best interests of the Jewish people is necessary. The world cannot sit back and allow this apocalyptic terror group to continue its reign of violence on any level, for a minute longer.

The Trump administration's position is admirable and must be supported. Hamas needs to free all the hostages now. Those members of the international community, in particular, countries that have long supported Hamas must withdraw their support. Egypt and Qatar, both of whom rely on American assistance, need to use stronger language against Hamas’s terrorism and take direct action in support of this more critical approach.

Two pragmatic solutions should be available. One, Gazan civilians could relocate temporarily to countries along their borders, freeing Israel to dismantle Hamas’s infrastructure without the worry of civilian casualties. If Israel decides that occupying Gaza is not actually in their best long-term interest, there needs to be a structure that allows for civilians to return after they are screened out as Hamas supporters and shown to genuinely want a peaceful future. Second, the top leadership of Hamas could be exiled or suffer more extreme consequences, allowing for a more peaceful leadership of the populace of Gaza. The options are black and white: stability and prosperity or more Hamas rule.

The world must see Hamas for what it is: a barbaric terrorist group that terrorizes both Israelis and Palestinians. Just as the UAE and Bahrain have normalized relations with Israel under Trump's Abraham Accords and set out a path for peace in the region, decisive action against Hamas is required. Qatar, with its pull over Hamas, should lock up its leaders and freeze their assets. Currently this is wishful thinking. Egypt, which is under economic pressure and runs the risk of being heavily sanctioned by Trump if they don't become more actively involved in solving this crisis, can do so much more to assist. The choice is theirs.

The situation is urgent. The lives of the remaining hostages are at stake. Under Hamas’s oppressive rule, Gazan civilians are suffering immeasurably, even though the vast majority are mesmerised by the messianic charter of this awful terrorist group. There is no more time for appeasement. The world must join together to eliminate Hamas’s stranglehold over Gaza and guarantee Israel’s safety. It’s not only about Israel. It’s about the future of the entire region. The world needs to be very clear: Hamas’s barbarism will not be accepted by the human race, civilians in Gaza and Israeli soldiers are suffering unbearable deaths because of Hamas’s criminal actions since that fateful day on October 7th 2023.