Israel’s government approves a difficult prisoner exchange, freeing Hamas terrorists to save hostages — a sacrifice met with faith, not fury.
In an extraordinary late-night phone vote, the Israeli government has approved the replacement of eleven Fatah operatives with Hamas terrorists, bowing to the organization’s demands as part of the hostage release deal. The decision, though painful, reflects Israel’s moral code — a nation that values life and humanity even when confronting terror.
Among the names added to the release list is Ahmad Jamal Ahmad Kunba, convicted of murdering Rabbi Raziel Shevach in a brutal terror attack. Kunba, serving a life sentence, will be deported abroad upon release. In a moving response that encapsulated the depth of Israeli courage, Yael Shevach, the rabbi’s widow, said:
“If he is the price for the hostages, then do so with my love.”
Also set to be released is Mahmoud Mousa Issa, the terrorist behind the kidnapping and murder of IDF soldier Nissim Toledano, and responsible for a vehicular attack targeting soldiers. Another name, Raad Ahmad Abdallah Abu Dahar, a Hamas explosives engineer who orchestrated deadly bombings, will remain in the region and not be deported.
The list further includes Mahmoud Ali Hassan Quasmeh, previously freed in the Gilad Shalit deal, who returned to terrorism in Gaza and continued to plot attacks against Israelis in Judea and Samaria.
While the decision evokes anguish, it also underscores Israel’s unwavering moral clarity: to bring home every captive, even at a painful cost. Each release is a reminder of the price Israel pays for compassion, standing in stark contrast to the cruelty of its enemies.
