Even the Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Brings Devastating Heartbreak

Amid the relief of hostage releases during the Israel-Hamas cease-fire, disturbing realities are emerging.

It’s not only the physical deterioration of the three men freed recently; the latest act of Hamas’ gruesome “release theater” is equally shocking. While the terrorists paraded Eli Sharabi onstage, they informed him that his brother Yossi had died during the attacks on October 7, 2023.

Upon finally returning home, Sharabi discovered that his wife Lianne and daughters Noiya and Yahel were also brutally killed on the day he was taken hostage.

In exchange for the freedom of Sharabi, Or Levy, and Ohad Ben Ami, Israel authorized the release of 183 Palestinians who were imprisoned on terrorism-related charges—18 of whom were serving life sentences.

Additionally, Al Jazeera reports that Hamas has consented to return the bodies of Shiri Bibas and her two children, Ariel and Kfir, captured on October 7, provided that Israel supplies equipment to extract them from beneath heavy rubble.

While other news outlets haven’t confirmed the tragic fate of all three, if they are alive (Kfir would now be 2 and Ariel 5), they should have been handed over already under cease-fire agreements.

To learn of their deaths would be an exceptionally bitter pill to swallow.

Further complicating matters, Palestinian Media Watch reports that the Palestinian Authority has distributed a staggering $141,837,087 to the 734 terrorists set to be released from Israeli jails in the first phase of the cease-fire.

This averages out to nearly $200,000 per individual, funded through the PA’s infamous “pay-for-slay” initiative, which compensates any Palestinian imprisoned for terrorism; the authority prioritizes these payments even if it means neglecting other obligations, including employee salaries.

Many global leaders are advocating for the PA to govern Gaza, should Hamas be ousted.

Currently, around 76 hostages remain, with three held since 2014. It’s believed that approximately 30 are already deceased, and Israeli President Isaac Herzog expressed outrage, stating that the condition of the three recently released hostages represents “what a crime against humanity looks like.”

While the cease-fire has paused hostilities for the moment, the anguish remains relentless.