An Israeli soldier was in Pinellas County to talk to people at the Chabad of Clearwater about his experience in the Israeli Defense Force on October 7, 2023 – the day of the Hamas attacks.

The Skeik building, in a quiet road in western Gaza City, has seen many families pass through it since the war began.

In the heart of Khan Younis, a fierce battle unfolded, leaving a trail of devastation and whispers of a new power struggle.

Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reports that Izz al-Din Haddad, who currently heads Hamas’s military wing in Gaza, has told Hamas fighters to remain in Gaza City and gird for battle, as Israel readies to invade and conquer the city.

The news from Egypt brings hope for the first time in months to suffering hostage families, Israelis with loved ones on the front lines, and Gazans trapped in a tragic war that Hamas started. It’s a day many believed would never come and one delivered by the old fashioned art of persistent diplomacy.

For Jews, within or outside of Israel, the war should also be a warning. After more than 3,000 years of history, the Jewish condition remains the same: precarious. And while friends and allies are nice, something else hasn’t changed: We are alone. Survival means learning to live with it.

Bereaved wife Ela Haimi says she is waiting to bury her husband, Tal Haimi, who was killed in battle with Hamas on October 7, his body taken to Gaza, as she waits to hear the identities of the four bodies being released by Hamas at 10 p.m.

While celebrating the return of the hostages as part of Israel’s “great achievements in the war,” Netanyahu maintained that the ultimate goal of the conflict remains “absolute victory” over its enemies, not merely the return of the hostages, as quoted by The Times of Israel.

The road ahead will not be easy or short, but if there is to be any hope for the future, leaders must embark on it by recognizing each other’s humanity.