May G-D rise in justice for our nation's blood—not only to avenge, but to grant us victory over our enemies and the strength to stand unshaken
השם יקום דמנו בצדק—לא רק לנקום, אלא להעניק לנו ניצחון על אויבינו ואת הכוח לעמוד איתנים
by Ram ben Ze’ev
Yesterday, on Shabbat, February 8, 2025, three Jewish men—Eli Sharabi, Ohad Ben Ami, and Or Levy—were released after enduring 491 days as hostages of the Arab terrorists of Gaza. The price for their freedom? A staggering 183 terrorists—מחבלים (mechablim)—set loose from Israeli prisons, many of whom had orchestrated the slaughter of innocent Jews.
The images of these three men, frail and barely recognisable, are unlike anything seen since the Holocaust. Gaunt, skeletal, and hollow-eyed, they emerged from captivity looking as though they had been released from Auschwitz or one of the Nazi death camps. Their bodies, ravaged by malnutrition, torture, and psychological torment, bore silent testimony to the cruelty inflicted upon them. Their suffering was etched into their very bones.
Eli Sharabi, in particular, faced an unfathomable horror—only upon his release did he learn that his wife, Lianne, and their daughters, Noya and Yahel, had been murdered by the very terrorists who had held him captive. His personal tragedy mirrors that of an entire nation, held hostage not just by the Arab terrorists but by a world that tolerates their crimes.
This was not a victory. It was a further atrocity.
A Horror We Have Seen Before
The release of these hostages, paraded before the world in their weakest and most broken state, follows a pattern that Israel has seen before. The 2011 Gilad Shalit exchange set the precedent: one Jewish soldier for 1,027 מחבלים (mechablim). That agreement led to the release of Yahya Sinwar, who later orchestrated the October 7 massacre, which claimed the lives of over 1,200 Jews and included unmentionable atrocities against civilians, including women and children.
Now, once again, Israel has paid an unbearable price, emboldening those who see Jewish lives as bargaining chips. For the Arab terrorists, the message is clear: capture a Jew, and you will eventually be rewarded with the release of dozens, if not hundreds, of your fellow killers.
The Health Toll: Long-Term Damage
Medical experts have already confirmed that these men are not simply underweight—they are suffering from severe malnutrition and chronic health conditions. Prolonged starvation and mistreatment have led to severe kidney damage, gastrointestinal disorders, and heart complications. The damage inflicted upon their bodies is permanent. Their organs, weakened by months of deprivation, will never fully recover.
Their suffering is not over—it will follow them for the rest of their lives.
Beyond the physical toll, the psychological scars are just as deep. Survivors of prolonged captivity often suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), severe anxiety, and depression. Their torment did not end with their release; they will now face a lifetime of nightmares, flashbacks, and the unbearable weight of the horrors they endured.
Broadcasting Our Humiliation
The public spectacle surrounding their release was carefully orchestrated by the Arab terrorists. The world saw them, battered and broken, as their captors took their final victory lap—jeering, celebrating, and reveling in the suffering they had inflicted.
By broadcasting these moments across social media, the international press, and even Israeli channels, we do exactly what the terrorists want. We hand them their greatest weapon: Propaganda.
We validate their tactics by proving that kidnapping Jews is a viable strategy.
We allow them to present themselves as powerful, dictating the terms of life and death.
We send a message to every enemy of Israel that terror works.
This is not how a sovereign nation should operate. This is not the image of strength. This is submission.
Enough: We Must End This Cycle
The redemption of captives (Pidyon Shvuyim - פדיון שבויים) is one of the highest mitzvot in Judaism. But it is not meant to come at the cost of national survival.
Every exchange of מחבלים (mechablim) for Jewish lives only fuels the cycle of terror. The next kidnappings are already being planned. The next terrorist (mechabel - מחבל) released today may be the mastermind of tomorrow’s attack.
We must stop handing propaganda victories to those who seek our destruction. We must stop treating these exchanges as triumphs. And above all, we must ensure that the suffering of our brothers was not in vain.
Israel’s security, dignity, and future depend on it.
This Line Holds. No Surrender. No Retreat.
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Bill White (Ram ben Ze'ev) is CEO of WireNews Limited, Mayside Partners Limited, MEADHANAN Agency, Kestrel Assets Limited, SpudsToGo Limited and Executive Director of Hebrew Synagogue