Israel Admits It Killed 3 More Israeli Hostages
Israel Admits It Killed 3 More Israeli Hostages
Here are the three questions we need answers to immediately
The Israeli military now admits its indiscriminate bombing killed three Israeli hostages last November. The lack of media access has prevented this information from coming to light earlier, or from holding accountable those responsible for these crimes. With so many unanswered questions, I have three that we need answered immediately if we hope to uphold peace, security, and justice. Let’s Address This.
The AP reported this week that:
The Israeli military said there was a “high probability” that three hostages found dead months ago were killed in an Israeli airstrike. The army announced the conclusions of its investigation into the deaths of Cpl. Nik Beizer, Sgt. Ron Sherman and Elia Toledano.
This isn’t the first time the Israeli military has killed Israeli hostages. On December 15, 2023, the Israeli military killed hostages Alon Shamriz, Yotam Haim, and Samer Talalka, while they attempted to escape and send SOS signals. And because Netanyahu has banned all western journalists from Gaza, and additionally killed more than 100 journalists in Gaza, it is impossible to know the extent of hostages killed by the Israeli military’s incessant bombing and bombardment.
If we have any hope of the siege on Gaza to stop, for a safe return of all hostages, and for a lasting peace, we must have answers to these three questions immediately.
1. Where is the outrage against Netanyahu over the killing of these hostages?
Among the earliest groups to sound the alarm that Netanyahu is not to be trusted were the families of hostages themselves. In a Times of Israel interview, former spokesperson for the families of hostages Haim Rubinstein lamented that the Israeli government “absolutely ignored” them and there’s “no doubt” Netanyahu is preventing a deal. And that after an October 26 meeting with Netanyahu he felt particularly disappointed because the return of hostages were not the Israeli government’s priority:
We left the meeting very disappointed because Netanyahu talked about dismantling Hamas as the goal of the war. He didn’t promise anything regarding the demand to return the hostages. We later found out that Hamas had offered on October 9 or 10 to release all the civilian hostages in exchange for the IDF not entering the Strip, but the government rejected the offer.
We cannot forget that more than 100 hostages were released through diplomacy last November, yet only a handful have been released through incessant bombing. Yet, the United States refuses to put pressure on Netanyahu in any meaningful way beyond expressing verbal concern. His bombing has killed numerous Israeli hostages and his military has killed and kidnapped multiple American citizens. Where is the meaningful outrage against Netanyahu—one that bears action to hold him accountable for these crimes? Which begs the next question.
2. Why is the US Government continuing to arm Netanyahu?
Despite how divided Americans are on a number of issues, there exists remarkable unity on demanding the US Government stop arming Netanyahu to bomb Gaza. The data is overwhelming. About 61% of Americans, 63% of moderates, and 77% of Democrats oppose weapons to Netanyahu. It is the politically smart thing for the Biden administration to do, especially if they want to maximize Harris’s chances to win in November.
Moreover and more importantly, it is the morally and legally right thing to do. The Leahy Laws are explicitly clear that the United States cannot arm any nation that is credibly accused of war crimes—which Israel is. It should come as no surprise that more than 250 major global humanitarian organizations have called on the US Government to stop arming Netanyahu. Or that seven major American labor unions including the UAW want the US Government to stop arming Netanyahu. Or that major civil rights organizations like the NAACP want the US Government to stop arming Netanyahu. The United Kingdom and Canada have both begun to restrict arms to Netanyahu. And this begs the final question—how many more innocent people must die before the US Government stops arms to Netanyahu?
3. How many more innocent people need to be killed before those in power decide to uphold the Leahy Laws, the binding UN resolution for ceasefire, & enforce accountability for ICC war crimes?
It is well documented that Hamas has repeatedly accepted the ceasefire and hostage release proposals put forth by the Israeli Government, only to have the Israeli Government back out of its own proposal and continue bombing Gaza. This week the Gaza Healthy Ministry published a comprehensive list of every Palestinian killed in Israel’s siege on Gaza. Dauntingly, the first 14 pages of the 649 page single spaced document are of murdered Palestinian infants aged zero to one years old.
The Lancet, which is the world’s leading scientific medical journal, reported last June that the estimated 40,000 Palestinians killed is a gross undercount, and the actual number is at least 186,000 deaths. How many more innocent people, Palestinian civilians and Israeli hostages, must die before the United States government acts to uphold international human rights law, American law, and basic human decency, and stops arming Netanyahu? Or before there is meaningful accountability via the ICJ and ICC?
In Conclusion
In a sharply divided world, Americans, Israelis, Palestinians, and humanity at large agree that we must enforce a permanent ceasefire, release of all hostages, and viable and sustainable two state solution—with extensive resources to build and restore Gaza. With every passing day, new reports emerge of Netanyahu’s American made bombs killing Palestinian children, Palestinian journalists, aid workers, and Israeli hostages. This is unjust, unsustainable, and untenable.
With the Presidential election in the final two months, media will likely shift focus to the domestic election, rather than the raging genocide funded by American tax dollars. Continue to raise your voice for justice, do not forget about Palestine and Gaza, and demand action of your elected representatives.
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where indeed?
look perhaps at Israel's attempt(even before Gaza) at harassing foreign media--and one might examine censorship of it's own media,
and perhaps the lack of outage might be laid at the door of such attempts (not always successful, thankfully) to suppression media reporting of its aggression against its neighbors.
Nut+Yahoooo is really a blood thirsty dude that represents a cult of death…..it does not matter who!
I am curious if he was involved with the killing of Americans and sinking Amarican ship off the coast of Egypt.
American of course didn’t care about those Americans…and instead paid Israel money and thanked them!! Like a true servant!