I keep coming back to the hostages, not only because of the terror and suffering that they are experiencing but also because they are a constant refutation of the arguments that all Hamas supporters make about the legitimacy of Hamas’ actions.

Hamas supporters keep arguing that the terror attacks of 10/7 were a legitimate or at least understandable military strike against Israel’s (nonexistent) occupation of Gaza. Palestinians understandably struck out against the oppressive tyranny of Israel, they argue, and this was the only or the best way they could.

This argument, of course, glosses over the inconvenient fact that Israel was not occupying Gaza and that the “military” strike was nothing but a pogrom that included rape, torture, murder, and desecration of bodies. But apparently, the specifics of Hamas’ actions are irrelevant to them; it was the powerless striking out at the powerful.

Hamas attacks are "protected under international law" The Holocaust "was actually a moment of opportunity for the Zionist movement" "The Right of Return" includes "armed resistance" This is the antisemitic vitriol being fed to students a @CUNY teach-in. https://t.co/yOKjvuW4kZ pic.twitter.com/DgltSZOi8g

— Canary Mission (@canarymission) November 27, 2023

This argument is wrong and justifies evil, but it has a certain logic if you squint and ignore human decency and the facts of the case.

But then…the hostages. There is no case to be made that taking hostages is a military tactic of any sort, and unlike the rapes and beheadings, you can’t argue that they are simply propaganda. Hamas is using the hostages, undeniably. The entire cease-fire is predicated on staged hostage releases.

We moved on from "I'm tearing down these hostage posters because it's Zionist propaganda" to "this staged photo suggests Hamas is treating the hostages well" without even a pause in commentary. Just one thought to the next without even taking a breath.

— T. Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) November 26, 2023

Before the negotiations that led to the cease-fire, many people did indeed argue that the existence of the hostages was nothing but Israeli propaganda. It was an insane argument, but they made it.

Now, they can’t. Yet they have moved on to another…Hamas is so nice that they treated the hostages well.

If you ever wondered “how could anyone have claimed American slaves were happy?” here’s your answer https://t.co/0X9pMw4pgg

— (((Aaron Walker))) (@AaronWorthing) November 26, 2023

The hostages are a real-time refutation of every claim made by the Hamas sympathizers. Hamas took the hostages as a negotiating tactic, totally in line with their disgusting ideology that treats all non-Muslims as objects, not human beings. Torturing Jews is their shtick.

While the world is focused on the hostage releases, less notice is being given to the absolutely predictable fact that Hamas is not living up to its end of the deal. Time and again during this process, they have broken the agreement, and they continue to do so despite news coverage that doesn’t highlight this fact.

Among the conditions agreed to by Hamas was that children would be released with their mothers, and Hamas simply hasn’t been doing it. They have been holding onto infants as well because actual human beings recognize that infants are totally innocent and deserve special protection from adults. Hamas terrorists don’t qualify as fully human. They are monsters who should be hunted down and killed like rabid animals.

None of this matters to the ghouls who revel in Hamas’ cruelty.

Girl freed from Gaza without her mom says Hamas separated them, in breach of deal https://t.co/OJd9DbFohq . Click to read ⬇️

— The Times of Israel (@TimesofIsrael) November 27, 2023

That Hamas took hostages barely registers anymore on my outrage meter because Hamas’ existence and all their actions are so far beyond what civilized people do that it all blurs together for me.

But still, it all comes back to the hostages for me because there is simply no way that any rational person could look you in the eye and simultaneously deny they exist or claim that their being taken was legitimate in any way. No amount of spin, no denial of facts…nothing provides immunity from the obvious conclusion that Hamas supporters approve of all manner of evil.

The hostages exist. Hamas is using them. Hamas supporters are on the side of hostage-takers. They can’t deny them as they do the atrocities or justify their being taken as they do the attacks in Israel. There is nothing to say except, “Yes, taking hostages is a legitimate military tactic.”

The hostages are a living, breathing refutation of everything Hamas supporters claim. There is no ambiguity. There is no dodge. There is no denial of facts possible. The hostages cannot be claimed to be a propaganda invention of Israel.

Hamas is going to drag this process out, violate agreements, separate families, and do everything they can to save their own sorry asses.

Every single Hamas member can rot in Hell and will.

So should every person who expresses support for them and their tactics.