Mon. Feb 17th, 2025

The Jerusalem Post calls on Netanyahu and Trump to work to return the prisoners and end the Gaza war policy


The Israeli newspaper Jerusalem Post, in an article by its editorial board, appealed to both Israeli and American officials to rise above their political differences and take action to release Israeli prisoners held by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).

The emotional appeal came against the backdrop of a video recording recently broadcast by the Al-Qassam Brigades – the military wing of the Hamas movement – in which prisoner Idan Alexander appeared in a difficult psychological state, in which he spoke about the conditions of his detention, directing sharp criticism to the Israeli government and calling on “the people of Israel to take action to end their suffering.”

Alexander also called on US President-elect Donald Trump to intervene to negotiate for his freedom, criticizing the policies of President Joe Biden’s administration.

Fear beyond imagination

The Jerusalem Post editorial board said that this video, which it described as one of the tools of psychological warfare waged by Hamas, revealed a “chilling” truth; These prisoners cling to their humanity and are filled with fear beyond imagination, which requires an urgent response.

She added that Israelis and Americans must now – more than ever – rise above their political divisions. Tel Aviv called for action, because the matter is not about partisan agendas or diplomatic disputes, but rather about saving lives.

She called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to do more than just offer financial rewards, and that he must prioritize the release of prisoners by taking decisive measures.

She saw that Trump – too – has an opportunity to lead efforts “with compassion and strength” and determine the course of his presidency even before it begins, and she continued to say that both leaders are facing a defining moment that calls for humanity to take precedence over political calculations.

The newspaper stressed the need for all Israelis and Americans to focus most of their energies on returning Alexander and his other fellow prisoners to their homes as quickly and safely as possible.

He was trembling

She indicated – in a language that begged for sympathy and sympathy – that Alexander’s voice was trembling as he spoke, and his hands were covering his face from time to time as if he was trying to suppress the flood of despair that was overwhelming him, and behind him there was nothing but darkness, in a scene that involved “painful symbolism” for the 420 days. Which he has spent so far in captivity.

In the video recording, the Israeli prisoner appeared collapsed, sighing, and then crying, saying, “Fear and isolation are killing us. Our fear has reached its peak, and we are dying a thousand times every day that passes, and no one feels us.”

According to the newspaper, Alexander’s words reveal a state of despair and despair waiting for relief, and a feeling of helplessness and people abandoning him.

Public support for a deal

In a news report in the same newspaper, an opinion poll conducted by the Israeli Channel 12 and published on Friday showed that 71% of Israelis support concluding a deal to release prisoners that would put an end to the war in the Gaza Strip.

She stated that the result of the poll reflects Israelis’ fears of what she calls “sexual violence against prisoners,” citing the channel that only 15% of those polled opposed reaching such a deal, while 14% of them said they did not know how they felt about it.

In another poll conducted by the Israeli Association of Rape Crisis Centers last October, regarding the public opinion position on the deal, 93% of the public expressed their belief that the prisoners are at risk of sexual violence, and 73% believe that this should have an impact on the decision. Make an agreement.

These numbers differ from a poll conducted by the Prisoners’ Families Forum in August, which showed that 59% of Israelis support a deal that brings their children home while ending the war, and 33% oppose it.


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