By Greg Bouwer on the Israel Institute of NZ website…
Where were you on October 7, 2023, when the largest massacre of Jews since the Shoah took place? Where were you in the days that followed, as Israel, still reeling from the unimaginable loss and coming to terms with the full depravity of the attack, struggled to defend its borders? Where were you when Hamas itself released high-definition footage of its own brutality—proudly showcasing its horrific acts—only for some to twist reality and claim it was an Israeli operation?
Since that fateful day, Israel has been under constant attack. Tens of thousands of rockets have rained down indiscriminately from Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen and even Iran, targeting civilians. And yet the world responded with silence at best, or by blaming Israel at worst. When Israel defended her citizens, as any nation would, world leaders (including our own and others from democratic nations) largely railed against the “aggressor” and defended Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis and Iran.
Beyond the visible battlefield, another horror unfolded: the fate of the hostages. Innocent people, stolen from their homes during Hamas’s murderous spree on October 7, were taken back to Gaza and imprisoned under unimaginable conditions. Tortured physically and psychologically. Deprived of their dignity and, for many, their lives.
Read the full piece on the Israel Institute of NZ here.
