The heroic operation to release Noa Argamani, Shlomi Ziv, Almog Meir Zhan, and Andrey Kozlov was received with astonishment not only in Israel but among the Hamas terrorists as well. Along with its complete surprise, the operation proved once again the terrorist organization’s cynical use of the residents of the Gaza Strip both as active fighters and as human shields. Hamas’s choice to hold the hostages in a populated area in the heart of Gaza, above ground, shows beyond doubt that everyone in the Strip is an active or passive member of Hamas.
Yossi Eliezer, who runs the Arab World Telegram channel, was the first one to pick on this point immediately following the news about the hostage rescue. He cited a message from a Hamas-identified channel on Telegram that read: “The Israeli prisoners who were released a short time ago were with civilians, not in the hands of Hamas.”
In a following message, the Hamas channel explained that Noa Argamani was kidnapped by civilians, who followed Hamas marauders into Israel, meaning that Hamas admits the “uninvolved residents of Gaza” are a legitimate target in the fighting and not uninvolved as Israel haters from Beijing to San Francisco are claiming.
Israeli decision-makers are now concerned that Hamas will carry out its threats that the daring rescue operation will worsen the conditions of the hostages who are still being held captive. Hamas spokesman Abu Obeidah has already warned that the operation “will pose a great danger to the abductees,” and added that “it will have a devastating effect on their lives.”
Which stands to show you that Hamas never takes a break from attempting to manipulate its useful idiots inside Israel.
Speaking of useful idiots, a huge crowd of those demonstrated across Israel Saturday night, calling for a deal to release the hostages. Police used a water cannon to disperse a demonstration on Kaplan Street in Tel Aviv, where 33 were arrested on suspicion of violating public order.
Suspicion? They went down en masse to Ayalon highway to block traffic!
Aizat al-Rishek, a member of the Hamas politburo, attacked Israel, saying: “They managed to free their hostages in a difficult and complex operation, under heavy fire – 8 months after the start of the war. The resistance is still in the midst of the campaign, and there are many other things on the agenda. The last word will always belong to the resistance. This operation will not change the final price that Israel will have to pay.”
Well, on June 6, Reuters reported, citing American and Israeli officials, that Hamas has seen about half its forces wiped out in the past eight months of war. Hamas’s numbers have been reduced to between 9,000 and 12,000 fighters, down from an estimated 20,000-25,000 before October 7. By contrast, Israel has lost close to 300 troops in the Gaza campaign, not including about 400 who were killed during the October 7 attack.
