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Freed hostage’s aunt: Hamas forced 12-year-old to watch films of the horrors

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Aunt of 12-year-old Eitan Yahalom says Hamas ‘monsters’ threatened any child who cried with rifles, forced them to watch videos of Oct. 7.

Devora Cohen, the aunt of Eitan Yahalomi, a 12-year-old boy who was freed last night (Monday) after spending more than 50 days in Hamas captivity, told French television station BFM that the terrorists forced her young nephew to watch videos they took from the massacre of October 7.

“The Hamas terrorists forced him to watch films of the horrors, the kind that no one wants to see, they forced him to watch them,” Cohen said.

She stated that “Yesterday we were so happy” to have him home, “but now, when I know that, I worry” about him.

“How can you feel good about an experience like that?” she asked. “He’s a quiet child, it’s going to take him time to let his emotions out.”

She called the Hamas terrorists who held Eitan captive “monsters” and stated that if any child who was being held captive cried, “they threatened them with rifles to shut them up.”

“When he arrived in Gaza, all the residents, everyone, beat him. He is a 12-year-old child,” Cohen said.

Eitan was taken captive together with his mother and two sisters. His mother and sisters were able to escape when two IDF tanks appeared and shocked their captors, causing the motorcycles holding them to crash. Eitan was not as fortunate and remained a hostage for 52 days. His father was shot while attempting to defend their community against the Hamas attackers and is believed to have been taken to Gaza separately from the rest of the family.

 

Source: Arutz 7

Despite AntiSemitic Vandalism of Billboards, JewBelong’s Not Giving Up

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“Can a billboard end antisemitism? No. But you’re not a billboard.” So reads a giant pink sign with white letters that drivers can see along the highway in Oakland, Calif. On Nov. 15 or Nov. 16, someone spray-painted a different sort of message on the sign: “Free Palestine.”

A vandal who threw a rock at a billboard truck on the George Washington University campus in downtown Washington on Nov. 14 yelled the same thing: “Free Palestine.” That truck had the same pink background and white lettering, which stated “Let’s be clear. Hamas is your problem too.”

Archie Gottesman founded the nonprofit JewBelong, which is behind the white-on-pink campaigns, in 2017. The goal initially was focused on helping Jews engage more with Judaism. But fighting antisemitism has become a larger part of its mission, Gottesman told JNS.

When her husband, Gary Gottesman, converted to Judaism, she was interested in how the religion looked to an outsider, Archie Gottesman told JNS. That vantage is important both to converts and “to people who are Jewish who were brought up with very little Jewish education,” she said.

Gottesman, who had worked in branding for nearly 30 years, and for Edison Properties and Manhattan Mini Storage, brought her expertise to bear on JewBelong’s often edgy messaging. Reaching disengaged Jews required a different approach since the people she wanted to reach by definition weren’t found on the mailing lists of synagogues, Federations or other Jewish nonprofit organizations.

JewBelong’s “Joyous Judaism” campaign sought to connect with both Jewish and non-Jewish audiences, Gottesman said. The aim was to “talk about Judaism that people can connect to.”

‘A target on your back’

When Hamas attacked Israel in May 2021—and when Israel responded with the 11-day “Operation Guardian of the Walls”—Gottesman saw a “real shift in online antisemitism.” JewBelong had to find a way to use its platform differently.

“You can’t talk about a great Passover with a target on your back,” she told JNS.

The nonprofit began outdoor billboards to test messages and see what resonated with non-Jewish audiences, but the signage quickly became a successful awareness campaign. JewBelong has dispatched about 500 of these billboards, reaching more than 250 million people, according to the nonprofit’s internal documentation.

To reach an audience that the billboards don’t—college students—JewBelong enlisted portable billboards on trucks.

Antisemitic vandals have come after both kinds of advertisements since Hamas’s Oct. 7 terror attacks on Israel.

“It was awful,” Gottesman said of the Oakland billboard, which had nothing to do with Israel or the region. “It was 100% about antisemitism, and for people to go and paint ‘Free Palestine’ over that, it is such a horrible example of where this conversation has gone in this country.”

It has become hard to call out antisemitism in America without someone bringing up Palestine, she said. She believes that means people aren’t open to listening or understanding.

“It’s frustrating. It’s angering,” she said. “But we’re not going to stop.”

She hopes that people will “get off the sidelines and fight more,” when it comes to antisemitism, stating: “I wish people would stop being silent.” JNS

 

Source: Matzav

Egypt Putting Heavy Pressure on Yahya Sinwar on Releasing Israeli Hostages

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By Baruch Yedid/TPS • 28 November, 2023
Jerusalem, 28 November, 2023 (TPS) — As Israel and Hamas agreed to extend their temporary ceasefire by two days, Egypt has been placing heavy pressure on Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.

“Twice during the ceasefire the parties got into a crisis when Yahya Sinwar tried to violate the agreements, the first time last Saturday night Egyptian intelligence officers arrived at the Rafah crossing and conveyed to Sinwar extremely difficult messages and threats peppered with juicy curses,” an Egyptian source with access to official circles in Cairo told the Tazpit Press Service.

“A short hour later, the beating was carried out and the Israeli hostages were released,” he added.

On Sunday, when it became clear to Israel that the list of names of abductees to be released was not as agreed upon, Egypt again pressured Sinwar. Hamas initially sought to release children without their mothers, in violation of the Qatari-brokered temporary ceasefire not to separate parents and children.

Hamas relented, adding the names of two mothers in place of two children, provided that a fourth prisoner exchange be promoted.

Former Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) director Avi Dichter told TPS several days ago, “Despite the active Qatari involvement, in the end the deals with Hamas are carried out under Egyptian pressure because Sinwar is alert to the economic levers of pressure exerted by Egypt, including through the opening and closing of the Rafah crossing.”

Dichter currently serves as Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Israel has received from Hamas the list of 10 hostages to be released from Gaza on Tuesday, according to the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office. The list is part of a two-day ceasefire extension agreed to on Monday.

The list is being reviewed and families of the captives are being notified, the Prime Minister’s Office said.

A total of 50 Israeli women and children, plus one Israeli man, have been freed since the initial four-day ceasefire started on Friday morning, along with 17 Thais and one Filipino.

Hamas has agreed to release 10 hostages per day as part of the extension, which could last up to six additional days before Israel’s military operation in Gaza resumes.

Israel agreed to release three jailed Palestinian terrorists for each Israeli hostage as part of the deal, which also includes the entry of humanitarian aid and fuel into the Strip.

Approximately 175 Israelis and foreigners are still being held in Gaza, including Kfir Bibas, who was 9 months old when he was taken hostage by Hamas along with his parents and 4-year-old brother from Kibbutz Nir Oz on Oct. 7.

At least 1,200 people were killed in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on Oct. 7. Another 240 men, women, children and soldiers were taken back to Gaza as hostages. Some people remain unaccounted for as Israeli authorities continue to identify bodies and search for human remains.

London sees largest protest against antisemitism since 1936

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Boris Johnson–‘What we’ve seen is the re-emergence of antisemitism and the failure to focus on the appalling terroristic events of Hamas.

By World of Israel News Staff

 

On Sunday, 100,000 people took to the streets of London to protest against growing antisemitism–the largest march of its kind since 1936.

Among those attending were celebrities and politicians, including former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, his sister Rachel, wife, Carrie and four-month child Frank Alfred Odysseus.

The last time such large numbers of people protested against antisemitism in London was in 1936 during the Battle of Cable Street when hundreds of thousands marched against the National Union of Fascists.

Speaking at GB News, Boris Johnson said, “Since October 7, there has been a very peculiar response from many parts of the world including, I’m sad to say, in London. What we’ve seen is the re-emergence of antisemitism and the failure to focus on the appalling terroristic events of Hamas.”

Johnson continued, “I think that the antisemitism we have seen in some of the marches around Europe has really confirmed for me the absolutely human necessity for Israel to exist.”

 It’s estimated that antisemitic events in England have increased 1,300% since the October 7th massacre.

Concerning the event, Jewish actress Maureen Lipman said to The Mail Online, “‘It’s great to come and show support. We don’t want to be here for why we are here, but we have to be here.”

Lipman continued, “As the Jewish community, we’re in shock. There has been a terrible reckoning, it has frightened all of us.”

A spokesperson for the Campaign Against Antisemitism declared, “Week after week, London has become a no-go zone for Jews.”

They referred to increasing criminality, threatening slogans and symbols and glorification of Hamas at Pro-Palestinian rallies.

“The sad truth is that Jews no longer feel safe in our capital city.”

According to recent statistics, 69% of British Jews said they feel they have to conceal their Jewish identity in public, 60% have witnessed an antisemitic incident and 90% admit that they avoid the areas of the city where Pro-Palestinian rallies are being held.

Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom, Ephraim Mirvis gave a five-point strategy for dealing with antisemitism.

“Number one, call it out when you see it. Number two, call it by what it really is – Jew hatred.”

“Number three, be vigilant and report every incident. Number four, we must arrest every single perpetrator and bring every single one of them to justice.”

“Number five, we must teach our children that the superheroes of our society are those who pursue peace and loving kindness, and not those who glorify violence and murder, and we must teach people that they must draw their conclusions from historical facts and not from what they see and hear on social media.’

Source: World Israel News

Israeli-Linked Chemical Tanker Seized in Gulf Of Aden Freed by U.S. Military

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RIYADH (Reuters/Hamodia) — Unidentified armed individuals have seized a tanker carrying a cargo of phosphoric acid in the Gulf of Aden on Sunday, the vessel’s managing company and a U.S. defense official said.

The incident, involving the chemical tanker Central Park, is the latest in a series of attacks in Middle Eastern waters since a brutal war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas broke out on Oct. 7.

It followed a seizure of an Israeli-linked cargo ship by Yemen Houthis, allies of Iran, in the southern Red Sea last week. The group, which also fired ballistic missiles and armed drones at Israel, vowed to target more Israeli vessels.

“U.S. and coalition forces are in the vicinity and we are closely monitoring the situation,” the U.S. official said.

Central Park, a small chemical tanker (19,998 metric tons), is managed by Zodiac Maritime Ltd, a London-headquartered international ship management company owned by Israel’s Ofer family. The Liberian-flagged vessel was built in 2015 and is owned by Clumvez Shipping Inc, LSEG data showed.

Zodiac Maritime said in a statement Central Park, which is carrying a full cargo of phosphoric acid, was involved in a suspected piracy incident while crossing international waters, approximately 54 nautical miles off the coast of Somalia.

Phosphoric acid is mostly used for fertilisers.

“Our priority is the safety of our 22 crew onboard. The Turkish captained vessel has a multinational crew consisting of a crew of Russian, Vietnamese, Bulgarian, Indian, Georgian and Filipino nationals,” the statement added.

There was no immediate comment from Houthi officials.

Britain’s Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO) said on Sunday it was aware of a possible attack in southwest Aden and called on other vessels to exercise caution.

The U.S. has blamed Iran for unclaimed attacks on several vessels in the region in the past few years. Tehran has denied involvement.

A container ship managed by an Israeli-controlled company was hit by a suspected Iranian drone in the Indian Ocean, causing minor damage to the vessel but no injuries, a U.S. defence official said on Saturday.

It has been reported late Sunday afternoon that the U.S. Navy raided and freed the Israeli-owned tanker that was seized this morning near the coast of Aden in Yemen.

Source: Hamodia

Elon Musk Tours Scenes of Oct. 7 Atrocities at Kibbutz Kfar Aza

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By TPS • 27 November, 2023

 

Jerusalem, 27 November, 2023 (TPS) — Elon Musk saw the devastation from the Oct. 7 massacre on a tour of Kibbutz Kfar Aza with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday.

The tech billionaire and X (formerly Twitter) owner was briefed by the head of the Sha’ar HaNegev Council Yossi Keren and IDF Spokesperson’s Unit representative Liad Diamond.

Keren took the position after Ofir Libstein was killed on Oct. 7 during a gunfight with Hamas terrorists. Musk and Netanyahu visited Libstein’s home, where they were told of his heroic acts on that day.

Kfar Aza, located less than two miles from the Gaza border and home to around 900 residents before the massacre, saw hordes of heavily armed Hamas terrorists invade that morning, murdering an estimated 62 people with at least 19 kidnapped or missing.

A total of 1,200 people were murdered and more than 5,000 wounded across southern Israel on Oct. 7, with some 240 taken hostage to Gaza.

Musk also toured the home of the Itamari family, where Abigail Idan, a 4-year-old American-Israeli, was abducted by Hamas terrorists after they murdered her parents in front of her. Idan crawled under her father’s bloodied body to hide. She was released on Sunday along with 13 other Israelis held in Gaza.

Finally, Musk and Netanyahu moved on to the kibbutz’s “youth neighborhood,” which suffered the brunt of the fire on Oct. 7.

Musk was scheduled to meet with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and the families of those still being held hostage by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza. According to the President’s Office, they will among other things discuss the need “to act to combat rising antisemitism online.”

Netanyahu later on Monday will hold a live online discussion with Musk about the security aspects of artificial intelligence and other topics, the Prime Minister’s Office said.

Musk and Netanyahu met in September in California, where they held a private meeting, held an online discussion and toured the Tesla electric vehicle factory in Fremont.

Ahead of the visit, Israeli Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi announced that Musk agreed to only use his Starlink satellite units in Israel and the Gaza Strip with the approval of the ministry.

“Elon Musk, I congratulate you for reaching a principle understanding with the Ministry of Communications under my leadership. As a result of this significant agreement, Starlink satellite units can only be operated in Israel with the approval of the Israeli Ministry of Communications, including the Gaza Strip,” Karhi wrote.

“As the State of Israel fights against Hamas-ISIS, this understanding is vital, as is it for everyone who desires a better world, free of evil and free of anti-Semitism, for our children’s sake,” continued the minister.

In October, Israel denounced a proposal by Musk to provide internet connectivity to aid organizations in Gaza, saying Hamas would take advantage of it.

JUST IN: 14 Israelis, 3 Foreign Nationals Are Back In Israel From Hamas Custody

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Israel has officially confirmed the identities of 13 Israeli hostages who were released from Hamas captivity in the Gaza Strip on Sunday evening.

This release brings the total number of Israeli hostages released as part of the hostage deal with the Palestinian terrorist group to 39.

This is the list of Israeli hostages released tonight:

1. Abigail Idan, 4
2. Ella Elyakim, 8
3. Dafna Elyakim, 15
4. Hagar Brodetz Ama, 40 and her children
5. Ofri Brodetz, 10
6. Yuval Brodetz, 8
7. Oriya Brodetz, 4
8. Chen Goldstein, 48 and her children
9. Agam Goldstein, 17
10. Tal Goldstein, 9
11. Gal Goldstein, 11
12. Alma Avraham, 84
13. Adrian Aviva Siegel, 63

Source: The Yeshiva World

Dr. Mindy Boxer – The 12 Meridians of the Body Explained

The meridian system is a phrase that comes up often during Acupuncture treatment. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that energy (also referred to as qi) flows throughout the body much like blood does. When this flow of energy becomes disrupted, symptoms and disease can occur. Acupuncture and other forms of Eastern medicine work to restore the flow of energy throughout the body using the meridian system.

Meridians are channels that direct the flow of energy through specific pathways of the body. Think of it like a superhighway the energy in your body uses to move about your organ systems. Picture a body divided in half from top to bottom. Each side of the body is traversed by six meridians: three yin and three yang. Here are the 12 major meridians of the body and the function they perform.

Each meridian is assigned to what could be called a circuit, called an element. There are five elements: Water, Wood, Fire, Earth, and Metal. Here are how those five elements work in the meridian system:

  • Fire: Heart and small intestine meridian, circulation and three-fold warming meridian.
  • Earth: Stomach and spleen meridian.
  • Metal: Lung and colon meridian.
  • Water: Kidney and bladder meridian.
  • Wood: Liver and gallbladder meridian.

Lung (Arm Tai Yin, Metal Element): Regulates respiration and the intake of energy.

Large Intestine (Arm Yang Ming, Metal Element): Extracts and processes water from waste material before expelling it from the body.

Stomach (Leg Yang Ming, Earth Element): Digests and extracts energy from food and then distributes that energy through to the spleen and intestines.

Spleen (Leg Tai Yin, Earth Element): Distributes nutrients throughout the body, maintains muscle tone and regulates blood flow.

Heart (Arm Shao Yin, Fire Element): Circulates blood to all the organs in the body.

Small Intestine (Arm Tai Yang, Fire Element): Distributes nutrients throughout the body.

Bladder (Leg Tai Yang, Water Element): Removes liquid waste from the body.

Kidney (Leg Shao Yin, Water Element): Stores sexual energy, regulates the reproductive system, and produces blood and bone marrow.

Pericardium (Arm Jue Yin, Fire Element): The pericardium is an important part of the body and is the area that surrounds the heart, protecting it and removing excess energy. This meridian channel disperses energy throughout the body, thus preventing the heart from receiving too much energy.

Triple Warmer (Arm Shao Yang, Fire Element): Also called San Jiao controls the body and is not just responsible for a particular organ system. It helps to control metabolism and regulates heat, moisture, and body temperature.

Gallbladder (Leg Shao Yang, Wood Element): Stores and expels bile produced by the liver.

Liver (Leg Jue Yin, Wood Element): Circulates energy, regulates menstruation and the female reproductive system. It also maintains flexibility of the tendons and ligaments.

I conduct a thorough health history to determine the best treatment options to get your Qi balanced and flowing properly. I will discuss your daily routine and habits and might suggest herbal supplements, changes to your diet and exercise routine as well as your Acupuncture treatment options.

Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine look at the whole body and will work with you to get every system back to its optimal performance by addressing the root cause and not just your symptoms. If you are looking for a holistic and natural drug-free alternative to your health care, make an appointment today.


Dr. Mindy Boxer is a holistic practitioner who has grown into her specialties in an organic way. Understanding a range of disciplines allows her to integrate the wisdom of Ancient healing in combination with the most recent innovations in Scientific research. This dynamic blend has enabled Dr. Boxer to help patients in the prevention and treatment of disease for over 25 years.
At age 15, Dr. Boxer began her lifelong practice of Yoga & Meditation, read many Nutrition books, began Juicing her Vegetables, and explored and all Raw Diet.  Recognizing the importance of Nutrition in overall health, she earned her Ph.D. in 1986 in Nutrition and Human Behavior, providing her with a solid foundation to counsel and educate patients on how to attain health and vitality.
Her informative Lectures and appetizing Cooking Classes were the perfect forum to educate the community about the effects of food on Mood and Behavior, as well as in innovative ways to balance Body Chemistry in order to achieve overall well being.
Sensing a need to expand her training and understanding of the human body as a whole system, Dr. Boxer continued her studies in Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine,  and in 1993 earned a Masters Degree in Traditional Oriental Medicine. She is licensed by the Medical Board of the State of California in Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine and is also licensed by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine.
These diverse disciplines give Dr. Boxer a unique view of the human body and how to keep it functioning in an optimal manner. Her practice of Acupuncture, Chinese Herbs and Functional Nutrition have a profound effect on Hormonal balance, Rejuvenation, and Immune system enhancement.

Dr. Boxer has a particularly keen understanding of Women’s Health issues including Gynecological irregularity, PMS, Fertility, IUI & UVF support, Healthy Pregnancy & Delivery, and Menopausal issues. Her interest in the human body as a dynamic system has given her the understanding to deal with such problems as improper Digestion and elimination, Cancer Support, Allergies, back pain, tight neck and shoulders, carpal tunnel syndrome, respiratory distress, chronic fatigue, Insomnia, Stress, Anxiety and Depression.
She has also studied the art and science of Homeopathy, earning her Diplomate in Homeopathy from the Hahnemann College of Homeopathy in 1995. This allows her to treat the whole person — physically, mentally, emotionally.

Phyllis Shallman – 5 Common Financial Mistakes That Parents Make

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It happens every day. Parents make financial blunders that can impact their children’s future.

These mistakes are often avoidable. But a parent who has the best intentions and lacks the knowledge needed to properly manage their finances may not recognize these errors until the damage has been done.

Here are 5 common financial mistakes every parent should be aware of!

1. Not saving for their children’s education.

You know the numbers—it seems higher education is growing more and more expensive every year. So the time to start financially preparing for your child’s university years is today. Meet with a financial professional to discuss how you can pay for college without resorting to student loans!

2. Not saving for retirement.

Skimping on your long-term savings might be tempting, especially if your budget feels stretched to the breaking point by the basic expenses of providing for your family!

But saving can support your long-term financial position. It gives you a shot to pay for your own retirement, it can reduce the impact of long-term care on your family, and it might even create a financial legacy to leave to your children.

3. Spending too much on credit cards.

It’s not just parents. Many Americans overuse their credit cards. But it can be a little too easy to do for parents on tight budgets. Don’t have enough in cash to buy your child a new toy? Just put it on the card!

Unfortunately, credit cards can become a significant drain on your cash flow. And the less available cash you have on hand, the less you’ll be able to save for your other financial goals!

4. Buying a house they can’t afford.

Make no mistake—your family needs space. You need space! Just make sure that the house you buy is actually within your budget. Mortgage payments can chip away at your cash flow and reduce your wealth building and education funding power. And don’t forget to factor in the cost of house maintenance before you move in.

5. Buying things they don’t need to impress other parents.

You love your kids and want the best for them. That’s what makes you a great parent!

But be mindful of why you buy things for your family. Are you providing for your kids? Or are you simply trying to impress your friends and neighbors? Take care that you put the wellbeing of your family first, not the opinions of others.

If you need help navigating your financial responsibilities, contact me! We can discuss strategies that might give your family the upper hand they need to thrive.

Irish PM Slammed After Tweeting On Hamas Captive: ‘Innocent Child Lost Has Been Found’

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NEW YORK (VINnews) — Irish prime minister Leo Varadker has been lambasted by numerous sources from Israel and abroad after he tweeted about the release of Emily Hand (a 9-year-old Irish national abducted by Hamas from Kibbutz Beeri into Gaza after her stepmother was murdered and returned in the second stage of the prisoner exchange) but failed to mention the circumstances of her abduction. Varadker simply said that she is an “innocent girl who was lost and has now been found and returned.”

Varadker wrote that “This is a day of enormous joy and relief for Emily Hand and her family. An innocent child who was lost has now been found and returned, and we breathe a massive sigh of relief.  Our prayers have been answered.”

 

Emily Hand reunites with her father. Her mother died when she was 2 and her stepmother was murdered by Hamas on October 7th.

Israeli foreign minister Eli Cohen responded angrily to Varadker’s tweet:

“Mr. Prime Minister,
It seems you have lost your moral compass and need a reality check!
Emily Hand was not “lost”, she was kidnapped by a terror organization worse than ISIS that murdered her stepmother.

Emily and more than 30 other Israeli children were taken hostage by Hamas, and you
LeoVaradkar are trying to legitimize and normalize terror.

Shame on you!”

Israel’s government spokesperson Eylon Levy also tweeted a response to Varadkar’s post and remarking, stating that it typified Ireland’s passive approach to the entire hostage situation.

“This is how you describe a little girl who went missing during a stroll in a forest, then gets discovered by a friendly hiker,” Levy wrote. “Not a girl brutally abducted by death squads that brutally massacred her neighbors and stepmother.”

“But this explains the extent of Ireland’s contribution: prayers,” he added.

Further criticism was levelled by North West Friends of Israel, a grassroots movement in the northwest of the United Kingdom supporting Israel, which tweeted that “Emily Hand was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists who murdered many of her friends & neighbours.”

“She was released NOT because of your prayers but due to the military pressure IDF dealt to Hamas – the same pressure you dislike so much.”

Source: VosIzNeias

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