The anguish is unfathomable. Imagine the burden that hung heavy upon Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his advisors last week: draw out a ceasefire hoping Hamas will eventually release all hostages (though they have not upheld their part of the bargain so far) or put hostages at risk in order to destroy a terrorist organization who has already promised to repeat the October 7 massacre again and again and again. The Times of Israel described it as “making Israel decide between Israel’s body and our nation’s soul”.

Though it is certain Israeli special ops are hard at work to rescue hostages, Netanyahu made a very difficult decision to resume attacks on Hamas. He chose his nation’s existence, with the hope of rescued hostages. Additional pressure on Hamas could also bring about future negotiations for hostage release. However, the longer in captivity, the greater the chances of continued abuse. Heart wrenching!

Israel, a nation torn by internal conflict prior to the attacks, seems to have unified in full agreement that Hamas must be totally destroyed and its infrastructure dismantled. Given what has occurred, and the blatant promise to repeat the attacks, Israel simply cannot live side-by-side with Hamas.

Never in our lifetime has good and evil been so clearly delineated, and never have views of life and death been any more dramatic.

Running headlong towards death is a matter of pride for Palestinian militants, a perceived strength in the face of Israel’s perceived weakness: loving life. This is what has opened Israel up to the dilemma we are in today.

~Israel’s Impossible Dilemma, One for Israel

In ancient days, as part of God’s warning to the Hebrew people against the worship of idols, He contrasted life and death:

¹⁹ I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; ²⁰ that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”

~Deuteronomy 30:19-20 [Emphasis mine]

The context is God’s desire that His people turn from idols, but the contrast between life and death is strikingly illustrated by Israel and Hamas. While a Hamas leader says, “The Israelis are known to love life. We, on the other hand, sacrifice ourselves,” Israel releases 3 convicted terrorists for every innocent Israeli life. Why the contrast? Because life matters to one side and death matters to the other.

Given that, is peace even possible between the two? We will consider that question tomorrow.