BY THE VILLAGE SUN | A pair of shoes, a red rose and a “KIDNAPPED” poster — one set for each missing person — were laid on the sidewalk across from the United Nations on Tues., Oct. 24, as Jews called on the intergovernmental organization to help work to bring home the Gaza captives.
So far, Hamas has released only four of around 220 civilians that its fighters kidnapped during a bloody, surprise terrorist attack on southern Israel that has been dubbed 10/7 — Israel’s equivalent of the 9/11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.
The kidnapping victims are all ages, ranging from babies and young children up to grandmothers and grandfathers in their 80s.
A total of 1,400 Israelis, mostly civilians, were slaughtered in the bloodbath.
Responding to the Hamas massacre and kidnappings, Israel has been bombing Gaza in retaliation, and plans a ground invasion to eradicate the terrorist group.
For its part, Hamas claims more than 5,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli bombing.
As for the “KIDNAPPED” posters that have sprung up all over town, they are reminiscent of the “MISSING” posters that were plastered around New York City in the wake of the 9/11 attack, when people were still desperately searching for loved ones lost in the Lower Manhattan disaster.
In a cold-hearted move, though, some Palestinian supporters — including at least several New York University students on campus — have been ripping down the current posters.
The poster effort is being led by a group called Hostages and Missing Families Foundation New York (#BringThemHomeNow, #KidnappedFromIsrael).
I agree with Ms.Yost….putting a human face on situations like this is always a good thing.
While people in NYC and elsewhere are fighting over posters of the people Hamas is holding hostage, the IDF has probably killed many of them with its relentless bombing of Gaza. People should be postering to stop the bombing in the hope that a deal can be worked out over the hostages. Putting up posters of their faces is absolutely doing nothing, in reality, to save them.
The hostages should be thought of regardless of whatever else is going on. This is not a political statement.