Monday, January 27, 2025

Testimony of 4 Israeli soldiers freed from Hamas captivity: ‘There were periods with no food’

The four female Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers, who worked as observers along the Israeli-Gaza border, returned to Israel from Hamas captivity on Saturday. They shared part of their experiences with Israeli media, detailing difficult circumstances during their 477 days in Gaza. “There were periods when there was no food, when the IDF attacked near, and it was frightening. We supported one another, and we strengthened one another,” the girls shared.



 . . ."However, the four girls, who were taken captive by armed terrorists after suffering physical abuse on Oct. 7, 2023, demonstrated strength, resilience and unity during the release ceremony — holding hands, smiling and waving to the crowds and cameras. 

After the soldiers returned to Israel, it became clear that their show of strength was not a result of good treatment by their captors. 

According to the brief statements released to the media, the girls had a difficult time during their 477 days of captivity. 

Clueless child

They reported being forbidden to hold hands or to cry when held together. The girls were not given consistent food and were held in unsanitary conditions, even going months without showering. 

The girls were apparently not all held together during the entire captivity. Some were even kept in civilian apartments for part of the time while spending the rest of their captivity in tunnels. 

When the time for their release came, the girls were notified only shortly before and only then realized that Agam Berger would not be freed with them. Reportedly, one of the girls offered to stay behind with Berger but was refused by Hamas. 

According to N12 news, the four girls told the family of Agam Berger that they will come to stay with her in the hospital when she is released on Saturday. 

For the first few weeks after their captivity, the observers were held in civilian apartments in Gaza, where they were often forced to cook and clean for their captors, even when not given food for themselves. When being transferred from one place to another, the girls were disguised as Palestinian women to avoid notice by Israeli forces. 

Veteran photographer Don McCullin who has covered wars across the globe for 50 years handpicks six images taken by soldiers that capture the true horror of the First World War

 Daily Mail Online

Don McCullin

"For nearly 50 years, photojournalist Don McCullin covered wars across the world, from Biafra to Vietnam to the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

"He is known for his hard-hitting, uncompromising coverage, exposing the horror of soldiers fighting to the death and the tragedy of innocents caught in the crossfire.

"These six pictures have been hand-picked by the veteran reporter to reveal the desperate reality of life on the Western Front for British soldiers during the First World War.

"Mr McCullin said: 'The pictures I have chosen here are mostly taken by the officer class; you don't see many sergeants' names. The authorities wanted people they could trust.

" 'For the same reason newspaper blokes weren't allowed anywhere near the front; the Army kept it within the Army so they could control what came out.

" 'Today they keep control by embedding people. They don't like free agents; they worry that the price of sacrifice will be unacceptable for the people back home.' . . .

Below: A daylight raiding party of 9th Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) waits for the signal to go over the top near Arras, March 27, 1917: 'You can sense the tension in the face looking back and feel it in the body language of the others as they prepare to go over the top,' says Mr McCullin. 'It's an extraordinary photograph, a very close shot'


President Trump Suggests Moving ‘Palestinians’ Back Where They Came From

 Daniel Greenfield

"President Trump has good instincts. Unfortunately, he keeps being surrounded by bad advisers who try to get him to embrace the same old failed policies of past administrations. And it’s happening all over again." . . .

"The ‘Palestinians’ were a made-up people invented by Soviet propagandists during the Cold War. In reality, they’re Arab Muslim settlers, many of whom moved to Israel not that long ago. For example, the al-Husayni clan, who gave us Hitler’s Mufti and much of the ‘Palestinian’ Jihadist elite, moved to Israel in the 18th century. Yasser Arafat, the godfather of ‘Palestinianism’, came out of Egypt.

"A Hamas leader even admitted that they’re mostly Egyptians". . .

. . ."Why not have them move back to Egypt?

Questioned about his earlier Saturday call with Jordan’s Abdullah II, Trump said he had asked the king to take additional Palestinians into his country.

“I said to him that I’d love you to take on more, because I’m looking at the whole Gaza Strip right now and it’s a mess, it’s a real mess,” he told reporters aboard Air Force One.

Trump said he would like both Jordan and Egypt to house people and that he would speak to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi about the matter on Sunday.

You who chanted "Free, free Palestine" should love this plan since it would free them from that sewer. 

‘Completely disgraceful’: Douglas Murray rips into ‘political hack’ bishop

 Murray on "the "Balmy Bishop"  


"Author Douglas Murray has slammed Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde as a “third-rate political hack”.
"Donald Trump has demanded a public apology from a church and a bishop who face-to-face called on the US President to "show mercy" to LGBTQ children and immigrants.
"“I thought it was completely disgraceful and a great example of where the episcopalian church has gone in recent years,” Mr Murray told Sky News host Danica De Giorgio.
“It is a demonstration of the church’s failing that they would have just this third-rate political hack when they could have had somebody who was talking about God and representing God on earth.”

Enough With the Nazi Canard

"Democrats’ favorite dance moves are name-calling and demonizing their political opponents. Politics should entail a debate of ideas, aiming to convince a majority of voters that one set of policies is better than one’s opponents." BCJ


Brian C. Joondeph   . . ."The current administration is inclusive, with several high-level gay appointments or nominations, including the Treasury Secretary.

"Democrats are devoid of substantive ideas. Instead, they call their political opponents names – Hitler, Nazi, fascist, hater, homophobe, racist, sexist, and so on. Why debate ideas and policies when you can shut down discussion by calling your opponent a Nazi, one of the most deplorable insults possible?

"That’s the Democrats’ go-to dance move at the political sock hop. No rock around the clock, hustle, or the macarena. Instead, it’s simply “You’re a Nazi!”

"Democrats’ primary campaign strategy in 2024 was calling candidate Donald Trump either Hitler, a Nazi, or both. It worked out so well for them and their candidates that they are now the House and Senate minority party, and their candidate of joy was a mere spectator at the January 20 inauguration.

"No sooner did Trump take his hand off the Bible (or was his hand not on the Bible – another rabbit hole) than Trump’s sidekick and consigliere, Elon Musk, became the new Republican Nazi."

This whole thing screams for parody. Here it is from the Babylon Bee:  12 Horrifying Nazi Symbols From Trump's Inauguration    Look no further than number one:

1. Trump literally did a Nazi salute while he was being sworn in: How was this even allowed?



Bill Gates is a Nazi! We never knew!

Obama Fired Inspector General in 2009 Who Was Investigating His Friend Without Congressional Approval — Media Said Nothing!

Jim Hoft 

 "President Barack Obama says he has lost confidence in the inspector general who investigates AmeriCorps and other national service programs and has told Congress he is removing him from the position."


"Here’s the latest blow to the lawless Democrat-Socialist party and their tired media machine.
"President Trump fired 17 controversial Inspectors General in a Friday night purge to punctuate the end of his first week in office.
"Real Clear Politics reporter Susan Crabtree explained that many of these IGs, who are in a position to identify and clean up waste and abuse, have long histories of whitewashing reports and playing politics.
"Trump did keep current Department of Homeland Security Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari Jr., who is conducting multiple investigations into the Secret Service failures that led to two assassination attempts on President Trump’s life." . . .
. . . "However, there appears to be a precedent for firing Inspector Generals, and it goes back to Barack Obama.
"Barack Obama fired an Inspector General without any pushback from the legacy media.
"In 2009, Barack Obama fired Inspector General Gerald Walpin after the IG identified millions of dollars in AmeriCorps funds that were wasted or misspent.
"The man in charge of AmeriCorps was a top Obama supporter and friend, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson.
"Mayor Kevin Johnson, an Obama supporter, used AmeriCorps grants to pay volunteers to engage in school board political activities, run personal errands for Johnson, and even wash his car." . . .