No, folks, not only is her singing voice quieted, but she has lowered the volume intensely and let some members of the chorus go. Why is that? Let's think. Certainly, it was a most joyful day as well as a sad day when the twenty hostages who had remained alive under horrendous circumstances were returned. Dressed in clothing way too big for them, their sharp-edged shoulders and their lack of body definition, the skeletal outlines on their faces all bore testimony to the inhumane conditions in which they were imprisoned, tortured, starved, and killed.
Yes, killed, whether via an unplanned result of the effects of dank air, no sunlight, little if any food and water, lack of medical care, sheer bestiality of Hamas animals of two feet, mean on purpose, threat and fulfillment of those threats, and complete vacuum when it came to the IRC, not seeing, not demanding access to these poor souls. These cruel and savage kidnappers exulted, publicly, loudly, re their prowess at capturing these hostages, and yes, their oh such bravery when it came to kidnapping elderly, infants and babies, toddlers and teens, the old, the young, the sick and healthy, and the dead already, all hauled off to a living Hell. Oh, such heroes these Hamas perverts were - and remain.
There is no sense or expression of contrition, of understanding of the horrors they inflicted, the absolute inhumanity of it, the sheer ugliness of their deeds. This blackness of soul, this existence with stone hearts, continues until this every day and will most probably continue into the future as far as one can see. Note their behavior during this day and into its continuation.
The return of the hostages, those still in life, was delayed, day to day, hour to hour. The procedure was dragged out, and no one knew for sure what was happening. When the restlessness among Israelis became quite clear and warnings and reminders were forthcoming, only then was it announced that seven were to be released. Period. Delay of names, of viewing of their faces by their anxiously awaiting family and friends, ex hostages so eager to see for themselves the resurrection of the friends they had left behind. And then the brutal wait for the rest of the living - the 13 out of 20- remaining, awaiting their release, not sure if this is yet another bastardly, dastardly act of brutality by Hamas. The tension rose and the anger rose until finally, Hamas had to announce the return and repatriation of the remainder, the 13.
Finally, when on their way, these passengers could not believe that they were actually going to be freed, to be returned to the arms so eager to hold them. Hamas had a habit of cruelty, of encasing these hostages in constant uncertainty as to whether this move or that, this statement or that, was actually truthful and true release was at hand. Why should they have believed that it was finally the day of their freedom, with a masked and armed Hamas guard sitting beside them.
In fact, it was only when the mothers and loved ones would shout into phone screens that "The war is over. You're coming home. You're coming home. We love you. The war is over." Only then was there a smile on the face and broad grins of belief. And when they were given over to special greetings forces of Israel, and when they were driven into ecstatic mobs singing, crying, laughing, I believe we shook the very axis of our rotation.
The doubt remained in place and in high gear, for 28 other families were also awaiting a return of their loved ones, even two sets of twins. After much, much delay it was finally announced that 4 bodies were to be released to the forensic investigators to identify and to their families and communities who had been mourning them for so long. At least now they had a body to bury with honor, a place upon which to lay flowers, and to water those flowers with their endless tears.
Hamas was not done with their brutal behavior, for 24 more families were also awaiting the return of their loved ones. Despite the fact that the bodies of the dead hostages were to have been returned immediately upon the return of the living, certainly within the 72 hours agreed upon, Hamas went silent.
It took threats from Trump, other signers of the ceasefire agreement, and Israel, that it would be null and void and Isreal would be free and entitled to go ahead with their ground movements. Not a nation disagreed, other than Turkey's Erdogan, a man seeking to enlarge his footprint and name, who threatened Isreal should that scenario become reality.
Finally, it was announced that another 4 would be returned that evening, with, as yet, no names announced. Via forensics and identifications from their communities and families, they were identified and returned to them, finally, home.
Yet another 20 remained behind. That has sent families into frantic and demanding action. From their government, from all the nations of the world, to insist. demand, that humanity be respected and forthcoming, that they all engage in righting this wrong, so long, so heartbreaking, so vicious and evil.
Evil is real. It exists. It persists among us.
So it has been in all our yesterdays.
So- it has continued into our todays.
Will we allow it to continue its horrendous existence, its persistedness,
into our tomorrows?
The choice is up to us.
Each and every one of us.
He who looks away.
He who is silent.
Is he who is complicit and implicit in every manner of act and thought.
That is the truth. as bitter today as yesterday.
Bitter as we expect it to be tomorrow.
WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY?
The fat lady and her chorus remain thunderously silent.
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