31 Comments

It seems the average person's mind is so infantilised that most look for the good guys and the bad. Black and white. Despite the fact that all the events of one's life are, in the long term, simply a shade of gray.

Thank you for your neutrality Efrat. You are actually providing information rather than just more emotion-fuel.

Expand full comment

Thank you Lance. I appreciate it.

Expand full comment

"the average person's mind is so infantilised" ... must say this a unfortuanate way to make friends with readers and to prove a point...

Expand full comment

Not sure I get it

Expand full comment

I dont believe anyone should allow anyone who participated as a Hamas member a chance for peace. Hamas is dedicated to destruction. Gaza had their opportunity in 2005 to start over, but they totally squandered the gift of Israel.

The woman who survived this ordeal is very fortunate to be treated well and be alive. Read what the nazis did at Theresrenstat--a model concentration camp set up to convince Catholics, Jews, The Red Cross and rest of the world that the Nazis were not actually diabolical killers--a total deception and lie.

Expand full comment

Please don't put my words in her mouth.

I thanked her for her article and she said thank you in return. Nothing more.

Expand full comment

So appreciate your way to inform, giving the facts, and not trying to convince anybody about something.

And the intelligence to consider every aspect of the situation of the liberated hostages. We need this balance to understand what "really" is going on, and how and why will come slowly to light.

Expand full comment

Many many thanks Carle ♥️

Expand full comment

You deserve our thanks and respect, really.

Expand full comment

"When one narrative is being promoted over another, especially when it’s escorted by the right emotion (fear, disgust, anger etc.), it “helps” push us to the direction the writer would like us to be on. This strategy is quite basic in marketing, in behavioral economics, and unfortunately, in propaganda. This is the classic method of influencing our thought process, beliefs, perceptions and actions. This is how we’re pushed to pick sides. This is how they divide and conquer.”

No more masterful formulation has reached my attention lately. We are encouraged to be arm-in-arm with an emotional “escort" whose pimp we do not really know, are we not?

Expand full comment

Indeed. We can guess who the pimp is, but yes often times they’re hidden from sight. Their influence is there, nevertheless. Thank you.

Expand full comment

Thank you Efrat for giving fair and balanced and trustworthy reporting of the facts as you know them! I wonder if Hamas terrorists being “kind” is just to manipulate public opinion of them?

Expand full comment

Could very well be.

Expand full comment

i wonder why these two were chosen to be released...and why their husbands had to remain? it is a small measure of hope that she says they were treated well...still a tragic situation but perhaps there is hope

Expand full comment

Why not release the babies. The young.

Expand full comment

One week of silence? Are you ok, Efrat?

Expand full comment

The initial report I read here: https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-palestine-war-captive-description-officials-unhappy

It includes some purported statements from Hamas that I haven't seen repeated elsewhere:

"Israel says that Hamas holds 220 of its citizens as prisoners, some of whom hold citizenship of different countries, but that number may in fact be higher, as dozens of people are still missing.

"Hamas says 22 captives have been killed in Israel's bombardment of Gaza, which has killed at least 5,000 Palestinians, the vast majority of whom are civilians.

"In an interview with Sky News broadcast on Tuesday, senior Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal said the group would release all of its hostages in exchange for an end to the bombardment of Gaza."

Another, more direct story about that last statement:

https://news.sky.com/story/civilian-hostages-will-be-freed-if-israel-reduces-gaza-bombing-senior-hamas-leader-says-12991188

I don't see any mention here of hostage exchanges for Hamas terrorist prisoners held by Israel, despite much prior speculation about that. What is the current policy of the Israeli government regarding hostage negotiations?

Expand full comment

People should remember that the hostages are speaking about their experience, and have little of any knowledge of the barbaric mutilation of Israelis.

Expand full comment

I would like to add, I'm sorry that it's Shabbos, but I don't want to forget.

I find it hard to believe that the hostages are treated anything but how they were captured. Raped.

Like Viet Nam, and Jane (traitor) Fonda. the Siemens being, the hostage who was released. Her husband remains a hostage. What else is she to say?

I personally don't believe a word. Not that I would do or say anything different in her shoes.

G-d help all of them.

Expand full comment

I need to clean up my post. I obviously did not read it before posting.

That said, my cousin is supporting the Palestinians, and not Israel. We're Jewish. I'm having a hard time understanding. That said, I don't knock him for his opinion, but worry for him, if he thinks protesting on behalf of Palestinians, will win favor in their eyes.

Expand full comment

Efrat, I would say this woman was VERY fortunate that she met mercy. The reality is the muslim radicals want to wipe out Israel and Jews completely off the world. I have been told that the Hamas charter is exactly that. So I would call you not be naive. This open conflict and open warfare started with Abraham, Ishamael and Isaac and has continued to this very day. Its a spirit of envy. The Nazis almost finished it but God said "ENOUGH!" Hamas and Hezbol are now picking up the same Satanic mantle and running with it. The Messiah Yeshua however will finish off the conflict if Israel would "call on the name of The Lord"!

Expand full comment

Perhaps you want to read once again everything I wrote. I’m far from being naive about Hamas and its intentions. I am just bringing her statements as she brought them. Each to their own interpretation.

Expand full comment

Thank you for your post and hard work. I watch rabbi alon anova on yt. He called this lady a pro hamas stooge! He made the point that 2 other hostages were released the day before, no one interviewed them. Why they pick this hostage to put in the news.

Expand full comment

Efrat, do you think Stockholm Syndrome is also at play here?

Expand full comment

1) "we were at the mercy of the devil...They brutalized us.... They threw me onto a motorcycle, beat me..."

2) "...they treated us very nicely"

I'm sorry, but 1 and 2 cannot both be true.

Expand full comment

Seems to be a decent lady, probably nice to children, but tell me Efrat, is anyone talking about the dead little adorable poster boy for the s.c. "vaccine" from those who say they are Jews, but are not? (Revelation 3:9) Is there any media speculations on how many children have died so far because of the ones calling themselves Jews, but are not, or is it now totally forgotten in Israeli media, and in Israeli alternative media?

https://lionessofjudah.substack.com/p/meanwhile-in-israel-8-year-old-vaccine

Expand full comment

There’s nothing in this full report about her being beaten with a stick and having pain in her ribs.

Expand full comment

The daughter says something like "beaten by the shabas(?)". Is that what you have translated as she was beaten? I didn't understand that part of the daughters translation.

Expand full comment

Thank you for reporting her words in full. I think you are right to consider her state of mind. Your translation is slightly different from the contemporary translation by her daughter. I imagine you have had more time to consider it.

Expand full comment