OPINION: Next time Israel, maybe send Yahya Sinwar a friendly save-the-date card
It was a breathtaking operation, reminiscent of Entebbe. However, not everyone shared in the joy of the hostages' return, choosing instead to criticise Israel for how it rescued them
Richard Ferrer has been editor of Jewish News since 2009. As one of Britain's leading Jewish voices he writes for The Times, Independent, New Statesman and many other titles. Richard previously worked at the Daily Mail, Daily Mirror, edited the Boston Jewish Advocate and created the Channel 4 TV series Jewish Mum Of The Year.
It was an incredible operation, reminiscent of the Entebbe hostage rescue nearly 50 years earlier. Under intensive fire, IDF soldiers freed four Israeli citizens abducted by Hamas from the Nova music festival on 7 October.
The footage of Noa Argamani, Almog Meir Jan, Andrey Kozlov and Shlomi Ziv reunited with their families brought forth tears of joy across the Jewish world.
For 246 agonising days, their faces had been images on kidnap posters. Then, in a moment that felt like a miracle, they were free, embracing and being embraced by their loved ones in scenes of indescribable emotion.
Yet not everyone seemed to share their unfiltered happiness. In the hours following the operation, criticism began to bubble on social media, suggesting that – perhaps all things considered – the hostages might have been better off remaining with Hamas.
Journalist Mehdi Hasan ludicrously chastised some of the Israeli soldiers for not wearing their IDF uniforms during the rescue, accusing them of “masquerading as humanitarian workers”.
UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese also took exception to the IDF for not being more conspicuous during the operation, accusing it of using “humanitarian camouflage” by “perfidiously hiding in an aid truck”.
Perhaps Albanese would rather they rolled into Nuseirat on a glittery blue and white carnival float with Hava Nagila blasting through the speakers.
Dramatic footage of hostage rescue operation:
BBC presenter Helena Humphrey, meanwhile, reduced herself to a laughing stock while questioning former IDF spokesman Jonathan Conricus, suggesting Israel might have warned Hamas about the surprise raid in advance to reduce the risk of civilian casualties.
A friendly save-the-date card to Yahya Sinwar, the psychopathic mastermind of 7 October, would, no doubt, have also put things on a friendlier footing.
There is, of course, a secondary moral question swirling around Israel’s daring rescue operation – the awkward fact that some in the local Gazan community seems absolutely fine with hosting guests who are, you know, HOSTAGES – and therefore placing themselves directly and ethically in the line of fire.
As the satirical website The Babylon Bee put it: ‘Palestinian researchers discover startling correlation between holding hostages in your home and people shooting you.’
The people of Gaza, whether they choose to admit it or not, are also victims of Hamas.
It was Israel’s solemn duty to rescue its people from the grip of terrorists the moment the opportunity presented itself, while taking every possible precaution to protect its soldiers. A viral Facebook post scathingly responded to those criticising the raid’s tactics: “You don’t get to choose how we rescue our hostages.”
Israel said about 100 Gazans had been killed during the operation. Hamas, in contrast, claimed – within hours – that the number had been 270. Many mainstream media outlets eagerly reported Hamas’ figure, in the same way they have been relaying information from the so-called Gazan Health Ministry for months: treating it with the same credulity as if it were the NHS.
Every single loss of life in this conflict is an unspeakable tragedy. But it is crucial to speak first about its root cause: Hamas’ disregard for Palestinian lives and its thirst for Jewish blood.
Thank you to the IDF and long life to the family of Chief Inspector Arnon Zmora, who died while freeing the hostages.
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