Three days after, the stench of death was still in the air.
Close to the border with Gaza, sits Kfar Aza. It’s a kibbutz of 750 souls, many young with small children. Many with liberal political views. Some, with friends inside Gaza.
It didn’t matter.
In the early morning of October 7, first rockets flew overhead, then seventy terrorists invaded the kibbutz. Most came by motorcycles and other vehicles, at least one by using a motorized paraglider.
They went home by home, room by room. Where they could not break in, they burned the residences and then killed those that ran out to escape the fires. The terrorists hacked off heads of of people, slit throats, raped, burned, mutilated, and shot. Reports are that the terrorists killed forty babies, some decapitated, many murdered in front of their parents. Other residents were kidnapped and dragged back to Gaza. It didn’t matter what they thought or believed or who they were. It only mattered they were there.
At one home, the parents of two ten-month old twins locked their children in a safe room, grabbed their guns to defend their home, but died fighting the invaders. Half a day later other residents of the Kibbutz rescued the infants.
Likening what happened to a pogrom or a Nazi death camp, the IDF Major General in charge of the operation to take the Kibbutz back insisted that the IDF let the press in to see for themselves what had happened.
The number of dead Israeli civilians throughout Israel is now up to 1,200. The number injured 3,000. Each one of them has a story. So too, the people who survived have a story. And they all have one theme of experience—horror beyond imagination. And for the living, their memories. Lt. Colonel (res.) Jonathan Conricus, now a member of the IDF spokesperson’s office, confirms that what occurred “you would see on a zombie movie or online snuff movies distributed by ISIS. Children mutilated. It is horrendous.”
But there is another theme we must also remember. That of cold calculation. The butchering of the citizens of Israel did not happen because a few people got carried away. It was always the plan. Slaughter was the common denominator for the animals spewing out of Gaza, now believed to be 1,500. Civilians, were their targets. Civilians were their prey. Civilians were their prize.
What was one of Israel’s mistakes? What has been the world’s mistake in a nutshell? I think Maj.-Gen (res.) Yaakov Amidror said it best, “We made a huge mistake in imagining that a terror organization can change its DNA and and we stupidly began to believe it.”
So, where do we go from here.
President Biden’s speech today, according to former Israeli Ambassador to the United States and renowned historian said it was a “green light.” Whatever one thinks of President Biden, and I have been clear how much I opposed the six billion dollar deal in return for releasing Iranian hostages, whatever else some wish he would have said, Biden spoke with emotion and made clear two things, “America has Israel’s back,” and he said very clearly and with resolve to any other entity (i.e. Iran and perhaps Hezbollah) seeking to take advantage of the situation “Don’t!” For today, this is all I ask for and I am thankful.
And I think, and from what I read, it was exactly what Israel needed to hear.
So. What happens now to ensure that Israeli families seeking information about their loved ones never again have to stand-in-line with items containing the DNA of the missing?
Israel cannot, and I predict will not, agree to a ceasefire that leaves Hamas intact. It cannot permit what happened three days ago to happen again in three years—and then perhaps even worse. This nightmare is a gamechanger. Hamas has no interest in peace, it never has. This is not about the peace process or the West Bank. This was only about Hamas’ desires to create a Sharia state where Israel now stands. A state in which every Jew it can find will be killed. How Israel will accomplish the destruction of Hams and the price it will pay remains to be seen. But there is no doubt of the necessity for Israel to do so.
And then there is the problem of Hezbollah, Iran, and Iran’s other proxies. This requires close monitoring in the coming days. Today, missiles were fired at Israel from Lebanon and Syria, the Houthis are threatening to fire their missiles, and Iran continues to mouth off its spiel of hatred. Perhaps they will stay out of the present conflict. Perhaps they will not. But if Israel does not today end the threat of Hamas, that will guarantee attacks by all the others someday—if not now.
It will only be a matter of time.
To all of you receiving this bi-monthly newsletter for the first time, please write to me about what you think could be improved. While normally this newsletter exclusively focuses on Hezbollah, today mandated that I do something different. And, of course, unsubscribe if you would rather not get this. But, if you think it worthwhile, please forward this newsletter to anybody who you think would be interested in reading it.
Hamas Is Reportedly Using Rape as Warfare. Where Are the Feminists? | Opinion
Written by Monica Osborne, Editor at Large at the Jewish Journal and published in Nesweek 90 —October 10, 2023. This is a stunning and thought provoking read.
U.S. President Biden: Hamas’ ISIS-like Slaughter of Jews is Pure Evil—Written By Tovah Lazaroff for the Jerusalem Post—October 10, 2023
A Multi-Front War Now Threatens Israel After Fire From Lebanon, Syria - Analysis—Written by Seth J. Frantzman for the Jerusalem Post—October 11, 2023
Israel’s Struggle with Hezbollah—A War Without End is now available in eBook and hardback format on Amazon and IngramSpark. This compelling narrative explores Hezbollah’s origins and cancerous growth, traces Israel’s response, and reveals Israel’s present readiness to meet Hezbollah’s challenge.
Cliff Sobin
Important Link—Alma Research and Education Center: Understanding the Security Challenges on Israel’s Northern Border