‘At What Cost?’ Families of Murdered Israeli Terror Victims Cope With Release of Their Loved Ones’ Killers in Hamas Hostage Deal

While many in Israel are celebrating the return of three young Israeli women held hostage in Gaza for 471 days, families of terror victims whose murderers are about to be set free as part of the deal with Hamas are struggling with conflicting feelings. “Anyone have advice for someone whose brother was murdered by a terrorist who was supposed to sit in prison for the rest of his life and is now getting out and will walk freely? Is there a user guide somewhere on how to navigate this?” Israeli technology adviser, Hillel Fuld, wrote in a post on X. Mr. Fuld’s brother, Ari Fuld, was 40 years old when he was stabbed to death in 2018 by a Palestinian terrorist outside of a shopping mall in the West Bank. Despite his serious wounds, Fuld managed to chase after and shoot his assailant, Khalil Yusef Ali Jabarin, as the 17-year-old terrorist ran toward a female mall employee with his knife drawn. Fuld, who left behind a wife and four children, is credited with saving the mall employee’s life, who said that Fuld is “not just a hero. He gave his life for me.” Jabarin was sentenced to life in prison, where he has been since the attack. Mr. Fuld was notified last week, however, that his brother’s killer is set to be released as part of the ceasefire and hostage release agreement. “Seeing this name on the list of terrorists about to be released shattered my heart. Again.” Mr. Fuld wrote on X. “He murdered Ari, my older brother. And now he’s getting out.”His emotional message prompted an outpouring of support. Israeli businessman and anti-terror activist, Micah Avni, responded to Mr. Fuld’s post by sharing his family’s similar nightmare situation. Mr. Avni’s father, Richard Lakin, was shot in the head and stabbed in the face and chest by Palestinian terrorists while riding on a public bus in Jerusalem in 2015. He died two weeks later at age 76 and was one of three civilians killed during the attack. Lakin was a retired elementary school principal and, according to Mr. Avni, he marched alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the civil rights movement. The terrorist behind the attack, Balal Abu Gaanam, who was sentenced to multiple life sentences, “showed no remorse, no humanity” during his trial and “appeared proud of his heinous crime,” Mr. Avni wrote. Nine years later, though, his father’s killer is being set free. “I am grateful for the hostages’ return. I truly am. But at what cost?” Mr. Avni laments. “History tells us the answer. Eighty-two percent of terrorists released in past exchanges returned to terror. I pray they don’t kill your father, or mother, or child.” One of the 1,027 Palestinian prisoners released in 2011 as part of the deal to free Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, was Hamas terrorist Yahya Sinwar. Sinwar later went on to become the head of Hamas and is credited with masterminding the deadly October 7 attack. He was killed by Israeli forces in October last year. Israeli journalist, Yair Cherki, whose brother was murdered by a Palestinian terrorist, announced on air that his brother’s killer is set to be released during the first phase of the deal. “It’s unbearable to me to think that my brother’s murderer is released after less than ten years,” Mr. Cherki said. “In the end,” he added, “he’s gone, and Romi is alive.” Israeli civilians Romi Gonen, 24, Doron Steinbrecher, 31, and Emily Damari, 28, returned to Israel on Sunday after spending 471 days in Hamas captivity. In exchange, Israel released the first group of 90 Palestinian prisoners and detainees from an Israeli prison just outside of Ramallah in the West Bank. The government has announced that it will issue personal notices to families of terror attack victims if the terrorists responsible are scheduled to be released. The next hostage release is expected to take place on Sunday. During the first phase of the deal, Hamas will release 33 hostages, beginning with women and children, followed by female soldiers, then men over the age of 50, and lastly, young men who are classified as “humanitarian cases.” In exchange, Israel will release some 2,000 convicted terrorists, including an estimated 250 who are serving life sentences for their crimes. Israel will also free 1,000 prisoners from Gaza who were arrested after October 7, 2023, but were not directly involved in the attack.Opponents of the deal argue that the prisoner exchange and military withdrawal will reverse Israel’s progress in eradicating Hamas from Gaza. Former national security minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, voted against the deal, calling it a “surrender-to-terror deal” that “crosses all ideological red lines.” His entire party, Otzma Yehudit, resigned from the government after it was approved. Even so, the majority of the Israeli public has come out in support of the deal and Sunday’s successful hostage exchange ignited an explosion of celebration across the country. “Some people say we are weak for paying such a heavy price for our girls,” Mr. Fuld wrote. “Me? It makes me deeply profoundly proud how much we value life.”

‘At What Cost?’ Families of Murdered Israeli Terror Victims Cope With Release of Their Loved Ones’ Killers in Hamas Hostage Deal

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