GNITN – Special Edition

Israel At War – Day 53
Doing Good While Still Causing Harm

The Hostage/Prisoner Swap Continues

Today we saw 10 more hostages released and 30 more criminals released. To the families and friends who are getting back their loved ones we are happy to see them back home, however in the midst of these reunions we must remember that as Hamas lets hostages leave, they are separating more people in the process. You see, a woman leaves and her partner and brother remain captive. Hamas knows this and is totally good with keeping loved ones as hostages and letting them wonder about their welfare. Such is the case of Clara Merman as we read in this quote from i24news.tv (see https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel-at-war/1701197837-fifth-group-of-hostages-10-israelis-2-thai-nationals-released-from-hamas-captivity):

Clara Merman is Gabriela Leimberg's sister, a mother of two and grandmother of three. According to the Hostages and Missing Families' Forum, she retired from work as kindergarten teacher, but continued helping "at-risk families providing parental guidance."

Together with her partner Luis Har and her brother, Fernando, she was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak where she has lived since 1982. They both remain in captivity.

By only agreeing to release women and children, their male loved ones who they were with loose the loved ones that gave them strength. The men left behind now are left with uncertainty that, though released, may not make it home as promised. And those released have no guarantees those left behind we be seen alive again. Psychological warfare at its finest. Hamas only wants Israelis to feel more pain. I’m not making that up – they’ve said before and continue to say it.

Good People Were Captured

As we will see in the descriptions of those released, the hostages were good people, decent people, loving people. We read about Rimon Kirst, who volunteers to help others who were taken advantage of in this quote:

Rimon Kirsht, 36, is a volunteer at Maslan - Negev’s Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Support Center - where she helps victims of sexual assault. She is also said to be a music lover and a fan of Guns'N'Roses and U2 as well as Israeli rock bands.

Rimon married Yagev Kirsht two years ago. Together with her husband, she devoted her life to looking after animals: they have five dogs and five cats, most of which endured abuse.

They live in Kibbutz Nirim that was one of southern Israeli communities massacred by Hamas. Yagev Kirsht was also kidnapped on October 7 and remains in terrorists' captivity.

While her experiences will no doubt help her when she begins to help others again, her heart is now saddened by her husband not leaving with her.

More Separations

The next two women I’m highlighting are both free, but leave loved ones behind as hostages:

Meirav Tal, 53, is a resident of Rishon LeZion. On October 7, she visited her partner Yair at Kibbutz Nir Oz. Together with Yair's children, Yagil and Or, they were kidnapped.

Yagil and Or were released on Tuesday. Meirav Tal's partner Yair remains in captivity in Gaza.

Again, a partner no longer with their loved one left captive. And here is another good person let go, but her loved one is not:

Tamar Metzger, 78, "in recent years has been a full-time grandma, devoted to caring for her grandchildren." According to the statement, she has limited mobility and "spends a lot of time on the balcony of her small home - with the newspaper, crosswords and cigarettes." She is said to enjoy "her quite time" with a book or watching soap operas.

Tamar Metzger too was kidnapped with her husband Yoram Metzger. He is known to remain in Hamas's captivity.

Also released was Noralin "Nataly" Babadilla. She traveled on Friday evening with her partner, Gidon Babani, to the home of close friends in Kibbutz Nirim to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Kibbutz. Gideon, her partner, was murdered on October 7.

For those who still give Hamas a pass, remember these women and the loved ones still captured or killed. I know I won’t. Even is letting hostages go, Hamas is still inflicting pain and heartache and getting criminals loyal to them go to cause more hurt in the cities they left after the crimes they committed got them arrested. As I stated in the lead, good actions, but more harm still being caused in the good. Such is the terrorists way.

Trying To Get Good Press

Hamas, even in the prisoners they get back are trying to make the world community sympathize with them as we read in this article from The Times Of Israel (see https://www.timesofisrael.com/arab-israeli-prisoners-on-list-of-candidates-for-release-in-hamas-hostage-deal/):

Some 25 jailed Arab Israeli citizens are part of a new group of 50 prisoners who were added Monday night to the list of candidates for release in return for Israeli hostages currently held by Hamas in Gaza.

Almost all of the Arab Israeli citizens added to the list were arrested after Hamas’s savage invasion on October 7, on charges of incitement and supporting terrorism, although their trials have either not begun or a ruling is yet to be handed down.

Three of those on the list have been tried and convicted of serious crimes, including attempted murder.

How does this help Hamas? We read how in this next quote:

Miri Eisin, executive director of the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism at Reichman University, said the addition of the Arab Israeli citizens charged with incitement to the list is likely an attempt by Hamas to harm Israel’s public image and garner support among Israel’s Arab citizens.

“Hamas is trying to get Arab citizens of Israel released from prison to show that they will bring about the release of all those who support them, including Israeli citizens,” said Eisen.

“They are trying to say that ‘the Israelis arrested them just for supporting the resistance,’ that Israel is trying to shut down these free voices,” she continued.

Not only getting Palestinian criminals released, but putting back on the streets Hamas sympathizers is a good PR win, as well as making Israel look bad all at the same time.

More News About The Actual Conditions

We learned today from released captives that the humane conditions Hamas boasted of providing is turning out to be hardly the truth. According to reports seen in an i24news.tv article, the hostages were treated far from humanely (see https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel-at-war/1701194841-women-were-held-in-cages-israeli-hostage-testimonies-expose):

Members of the Forum of Families of Hostages and the Missing disclosed harrowing details about the treatment of women kidnapped on Israeli territory and held hostage by Hamas in Gaza.

According to Israeli media reports, these women were kept in cages, a claim supported by videos from Hamas' Telegram channel in the aftermath of the October 7 attacks.

Merav Mor Munder, a cousin of Keren Munder, shared her experience with Israeli Channel 12, revealing that hostages received scarce information about the outside world.

Hannah Katzir, one of the captives, learned about her son's murder when the hostages were briefly allowed to listen to Israeli radio.

Katzir also discovered, upon her release, that her husband had also been kidnapped.

Hostages were compliant for a reason:

These testimonies sharply contradict Hamas' claims of humane treatment, which the organization purportedly demonstrated through propaganda images of smiling abductees waving to their captors during daily transfers to the Red Cross.

Critics argue that these gestures were made under duress, as many released hostages still have family members or friends in Hamas' custody.

Fearful of reprisals, they comply with Hamas' demands to ensure the safety of their loved ones.

Hamas continues to manipulate every aspect of this ceasefire just as we learned when we talked about how they view an agreement with an enemy.

If They Hated Jesus, They Will Hate Us

If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. (John 15:18-20, NIV)

Obviously, Jesus was also talking to us in these verses since these men, who were all Jewish would eventually help establish Christianity. Hatred of Jews and Christians isn’t new to this world, but it will be heightened the closer we get to the reveal of the Antichrist. The antichrist spirit is driving all this antisemitism and confusion over the Israel war. And when we support Israel, the hatred will turn towards us. Even people who we agree with on the vast majority of causes and beliefs are also against Israel for a variety of issues, even if they call themselves and are Christians. Add it all up and you get another reason for division in the body of Christ in the last days. While we pray for the peace of Jerusalem, we also need to pray for unity in His body as well.