ב"ה
Monday, 15 Shevat, 5786
  |  February 2, 2026

Welcome Back: The Hostages Set to Be Released from Gaza

The government’s Hostages and Missing Persons Coordination Unit has informed the families of 33 Israeli hostages expected to be freed during the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement. Full Story

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chabad
January 17, 2025 11:57 am

if only they wouldlisten to the rebbe this deal is 100 percent against halacha

not true
Reply to  chabad
January 17, 2025 1:01 pm

Some rabbanim pasken that you need to do whatever it takes to save jewish life at risk IN THE MOMENT

Immediate danger
Reply to  not true
January 17, 2025 2:08 pm

1) The hostages are in only immediate danger because Hamas’ Sinwar was freed in a previous swap, and it incentivized more kidnappings.

Releasing terrorists fuels the very crises it claims to solve. End the cycle of rewarding terror!

2) The government did not make this decision because of protecting Jewish lives, rather to placate American politicians, which they feel overrides Jewish lives, G-d forbid.

chabad
Reply to  not true
January 17, 2025 3:45 pm

yes but this would not be considered pidyon shvuvuim do to the fact that your not allowed to give to much and so the deal is a against the torah and there blood isn’t redder than the people who casvisholam will be killed by the released terrorist and if you want look at what the rebbe said about gilat shalit by the way sinwar was 1 of the terrorist

Gilad Shalit
Reply to  chabad
January 19, 2025 10:39 am

Was released in 2011

David
Reply to  not true
January 18, 2025 11:24 pm

And they are wrong. When it was perhaps unclear what the result of such things would be, the position was logically defensible. But now the price in the future is n lo longer theoretical. If people are angry it is for good reason. It is by such idiocy that we got October 7. And even if no one listens to us, those of us who know this is wrong must say so. It is like stopping a child who insists on running into traffic. We are heading toward danger, and those of us with some seichel have an obligation— yes… Read more »

Happy but scared of the truth
Reply to  chabad
January 17, 2025 1:02 pm

The Rebbe made it clear for us ,
Sadly based on evidence, we will be mourning the loss of someone or another October 7 ,
from these terrorists that are being released maybe next week maybe a year or 20 years

Iy”h i am 100% off בלע המות לנצח
Maybe we have to stop playing defense and go on the offensive

armchair strategists
Reply to  chabad
January 17, 2025 2:33 pm

if your parent, sibling or child is being held by savages who will return your loved one if you give up something or someone they want, I say get your loved one back and deal with the savages afterwards.
And halacha did not protect anyone on October 7.
And no one can dictate what halacha is unless they have a loved one there and choose to ask their rav.

"Halacha did not protect anyone"
Reply to  armchair strategists
January 19, 2025 10:42 am

Halacha wasn’t kept. Giving back Gaza violated the laws of pikuach nefesh (Orach Chaim siman 329).

Th job of a government is to care about the safety of the entire country, even if we are in terrible pain that there are Jews still in captivity.

Exactly!
Reply to  armchair strategists
January 19, 2025 2:14 pm

100 percent! Where is the humanity

Koach Lubavitch
Reply to  chabad
January 18, 2025 9:23 pm

Chabad was once strong. The Rebbe took his name off of Shamir who he had previously endorsed.

I wonder how many Chabadnikim are going to black list Bibi over this.

Seems like Ben Gvir is the only one with a spine.

David
Reply to  Koach Lubavitch
January 18, 2025 11:25 pm

Bibi is one man against a tide. Maybe the next time Trump wants to come to the Ohel, he should be refused.

WHHH
Reply to  David
January 19, 2025 10:51 pm

He’s in the White House, he’s not looking for an invitation to the Ohel anymore. Let’s see how many Chabadnikim turn down a photo op with the President after this.

Really
Reply to  chabad
January 22, 2025 10:33 am

what would you say if it was you or your relative chas vsholom

Welcome home♥️
January 17, 2025 12:05 pm

As maddening as this horrible “deal” is, I am joyous and relieved for the families of these hostages returning home finally.
Multiple emotions can exist at once.

The silver lining of this painful mess of a deal
January 17, 2025 12:11 pm

Baruch matir asurim! SO happy for the families receiving their loved ones.

The other parts of the deal are absolutely awful 🙁 may all the buses of terrorists coming back explode with them inside! Hashem yerachem!!

BH!
January 17, 2025 12:17 pm

Baruch Hashem! Finally!

Right thing
January 17, 2025 12:24 pm

I dont get it. they are hunting down and eliminating terrirists in gaza, but the terrorists in israels prisons they keep alive so that they can be traded? Why dont they have a death penalty???

Incredible yes!
Reply to  Right thing
January 18, 2025 10:24 pm

Multiple life sentences for unrepentant murderous criminals to be eventually traded for a relative handful of partially deceased and live hostages is meaningful accomplishment?

Isreal
January 17, 2025 12:31 pm

They always regret listening to the rebbe afterward why don’t they learn from the past mistakes

Chedva tekia bsitra da
January 17, 2025 12:57 pm

Joy in one side of the heart
Tears in the other
-Zohar

Terrible what they are doing
January 17, 2025 1:06 pm

Al pi teva, the whole October 7th was orchestrated by a murderous terrorist they released in a deal like this.

life cycles
Reply to  Terrible what they are doing
January 17, 2025 2:35 pm

yes. but the orchestration was successful due to may lapses in security. so the answer is not to not make a deal, but to strategize better against enemies and secure borders

Incorrect
Reply to  life cycles
January 18, 2025 11:26 pm

You can make all the strategies you want

It’s very hard to deal with an enemy that glorifies death, encourages their followers to kill themselves, and especially when Eretz Yisroel keeps giving their enemies water, electricity, food and doesn’t fight as they should.

Until the leaders fully realize and acknowledge where their real victory comes from-Hashem-and that you can’t win wars but letting other countries tell you what to do and also allowing your own precious soldiers into harms way all to put those countries opinions first.

Time to requinquer gaza it's ours
Reply to  life cycles
January 19, 2025 4:37 am

Like conquer gaza have full control and restablish Jewish communities in gaza

Enemy on border
Reply to  life cycles
January 19, 2025 10:45 am

If you give your enemy a state on your borders, no amount of “security” will protect you.

That’s why halacha mandates going to war for any enemy infringement on the border cities, even just “to steal straw.”
(Orach Chaim siman 329)

What kind of a deal is this?!
January 17, 2025 1:10 pm

Why not all of them?!! What about naama levy?! I’ll never forget her!

How about...
January 17, 2025 3:09 pm

…they imbed microchips into the bodies of the terrorists before their release, and after our hostages are home, recapture them. (Or do the same thing as the exploding devices just with a slight modification…)

Get this
Reply to  How about...
January 19, 2025 12:01 am

Part of the deal is that they are not allowed to rearrest the terrorists yemach shemam vzichram who they release

"Deal"
Reply to  Get this
January 19, 2025 9:47 pm

They already violated this “deal,” purposely not giving in the names by the deadline…seems only the Jews are expected to uphold our end of such deals…

Now you’re talking!
Reply to  How about...
January 19, 2025 12:08 am

I love these ideas! Super fantastic! We need real justice!

Mossad fairy tales
Reply to  How about...
January 19, 2025 10:47 am

The pager operation (which did not stop all out war with Hezbollah that followed) really convinced you that all the science fiction Mossad novels are true?

:( NOT GOOD!
January 18, 2025 1:53 pm

the rebbe hated this! this happened before and one of the many terrorist that got released was sinwar and oct 7 happened! BAD DEAL!

:( NOT GOOD!
January 18, 2025 2:57 pm

THE REBBE HATED THIS! THE OCT 7 HAPPENED BECAUSE OF SOMETHING LIKE THIS!

A very dangerous deal!!
January 18, 2025 6:47 pm

How much Jewish blood has to be spilled?? Enough!! If only the isreali government would listen to the rebbe shlita mh”m! While we are happy that hostages will be realest, however at what price?? More than 730 terrorists! Hashem yishmor

Big Z Schapiro
January 19, 2025 12:44 pm

wow we want Moshaich now

"haredi ministers"
January 21, 2025 12:28 pm

He was the richest man in town, but the size of his wealth was matched only by the size of his stinginess. And the worst part? Everything was done under the guise of fear of heaven. That’s how it was on that day when he saw his wife about to throw away a spoiled piece of meat. “Why throw it away?” he wondered. “Don’t be wasteful!” “But the meat is not fit for consumption,” she replied. “We’ll fulfill the mitzvah of charity and give the piece of meat to the poor man of the town, who knocks on doors and… Read more »

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