Heroes Return: Israeli Spirit Remains Unbroken

After almost 500 days in captivity, three fearless Israelis are back home, but not without some cost. The emaciated, starved, and physically broken hostages named Eli Sharabi, Or Levy, and Ohad Ben Ami reemerged in the staged release of Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip. Their look has sent shockwaves across the nation and also reaffirmed to the whole world in the most candid way by President Isaac Herzog what this is: nothing short of a crime against humanity.

In a public display intended to degrade and frighten, the three hostages were made to walk onto a stage in Deir al-Balah by masked, armed Hamas terrorists.

There, against a grotesque backdrop complete with a raised fist symbolizing terror, the captives were paraded before representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross. The images of these once strong individuals now reduced to fragile, pale shadows of themselves have become a searing symbol of Hamas’s barbaric methods.

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President Herzog left no word unsaid as he addressed the nation: “The world must now see what 491 days of inhumane captivity can do these men return to us weakened, starved, and suffering.” His condemnation is deeply resonant with a people who have faced unimaginable loss and are now confronted by the hard work of recovery.

The long-awaited reunion brought immense relief mingled with deep sorrow. Overcome with emotion, the families struggled to come to terms with the state in which the hostages had returned. One relative, tears streaming down the face, said, “I barely recognized him. The terror in his eyes and the deep loss etched on his face say it all.”

And so, besides their personal tragedy, a psychological yoke unbearably hard has been laid on the hostages following their return: for example, Eli Sharabi was freed only to learn of the murder of his wife and two daughters during the terror attack on October 7, 2023.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that these “shocking images” of human degradation will not go unanswered. The government has already raised formal complaints with key international mediators, including Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, demanding that the global community recognize and act against the war crimes committed by Hamas.

Immediately after their release, hostages were admitted to various hospitals throughout Israel for emergency medical treatment. In this regard, Israeli doctors indeed confirmed that protracted malnourishment along with physical mistreatment will definitely require prolonged convalescence. And amidst such tragedies, a spark in the resilience of the people of Israel can be traced. Though this return of hostages was heartbreaking in nature, it turned out to be an important testimony to steadfastness in the spirit of Israelis and Israel not deserting any of its men.

The barbaric treatment of those hostages is not an Israeli tragedy alone; it is a dent in humanity. The premeditated cruelty of Hamas, which has turned innocent civilians into pawns to be used like some sort of weird propaganda show, is in utter contrast to democratic values and human dignity upheld by Israel.

While in mourning for its losses, the nation most certainly sets off on a very long road to healing; it sends an unmistakable message to the world: terrorism in all of its forms will not be tolerated.