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Hamas Attacks Were Pure Evil – NO Ifs, Ands or Buts

BACKGROUND – TALKING POINTS – FOCUS ON FACTS – ACTIONS – PHOTOS & VIDEOS

We have added additional sections to this edition to help you address the Hamas War on Israel in your conversations and social media posts. We may publish additional updates in the days ahead.

“This was our worst day since the Holocaust. I am the son of a Holocaust survivor and I’m not willing to tell my children the same stories my father was telling me.” – Former Israeli Prime Minister and current politician Yair Lapid

Even as grotesque images flashed across screens and chilling first-hand testimonies emerged from the savage atrocities committed by Iran-backed Hamas terrorists, countries hostile to Israel, anti-Jewish hate mongers, academics and politicians try to justify the barbaric and sub-human actions of Hamas. Some even blame Israelis, the victims. Some news media already refer to attacks as ‘Israel’s War’ rather than the truth: a savage, surprise war against Israeli civilians.

The dead bodies of 40 babies and small children were just discovered – some with their heads chopped off. These attacks are terrifying and similar to methods used by ISIS terrorists in the name of their holy war. As medical personnel reach the hardest hit areas in southern Israel, the gruesome realities of the barbaric actions against women, small children and the elderly are beyond comparison to anything recorded in recent history. More than 1,000 Israelis were massacred.

Hamas terrorists – funded, armed and trained by Iran – fired guns and rocket-propelled grenades at young Israelis attending an outdoor music festival, then moved in closer and slashed the throats of their victims. This animalistic behavior also included decapitating soldiers. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu described how gunmen killed handcuffed children, while many women were dragged and raped multiple times in front of their families, before either being shot or taken as hostages.

Some Palestinian supporters in American cities cheered the executions and cold-blooded murders of Israelis. A speaker at the NY pro-Palestinian rally called for more killings and praised the deaths of 260 Israelis at the music festival. Similar demonstrations – including passing out candies in Germany – are taking place all across the U.S. and Europe. A group outside the Sydney Opera House in Australia demanded: “Gas the Jews.” Supposedly pro-Palestinian – in reality anti-Jewish – university groups issued statements in support of Hamas’s crimes against humanity. Police departments in America are sending officers to protect synagogues and community centers in case they are targeted.

A number of American politicians are condemning Hamas while calling for an immediate ceasefire. Hamas released a statement Monday that it is “open to a ceasefire after achieving its objectives.”  Clearly, the terrorists’ objectives include brutalizing thousands of Israelis and posting horrific videos of the carnage to social media.

The Hamas charter demands the complete destruction of the Jewish state and the annihilation of all Jews. Hezbollah and Iran share the same goal. A Hamas leader previously stated that Israel is only the first target: “The entire Planet Earth – no Zionism, no treacherous Christianity – will fall under Islamic rule.”

Hamas thugs threatened that every Israeli airstrike without warning will result in Hamas’s execution of innocent hostages broadcast live on TV. Palestinian leader Abbas’s Fatah party posted on social media: “Strike the sons of apes, of pigs. Slaughter everyone who is Israeli.” Cyberwarfare is also an under-reported front in this war. The Jerusalem Post website and many others in Israel were taken down in a massive cyber-attack.

At least 14 Americans are confirmed dead among the many foreign nationals killed, wounded and kidnapped by Hamas. There also are at least four Americans being held hostage. Citizens from Canada, Mexico, the UK, France, Ukraine, Argentina, Nepal, the Philippines, Russia, Thailand and China were either killed or taken hostage.

News reports continue to swirl about what might happen in the near future. Hezbollah in Lebanon launched rockets and mortars into Israel and Hezbollah’s terrorists fired shots across the border – resulting in the death of an Israeli Druze officer, threatening to open an additional front in Iran’s war against Israel. Another report describes how Hamas is trying to overwhelm Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system. The genocidal terrorists want to use duds to deplete the IDF’s interceptors so the radical extremists can use more sophisticated rockets to kill more Israeli civilians.

Rallies in support of Israel are being held across America – from LA to NY. Capital cities around the world are flying the Israeli flag and buildings are illuminated in blue and white in a show of unity with Israelis. Leaders of the U.S., UK, Germany, France and Italy issued a joint statement expressing their “steadfast and united support to the State of Israel, and our unequivocal condemnation of Hamas and its appalling acts of terrorism.” At the same time, Germany and France were among nations at the UN Human Rights Council participating in a moment of silence for the Palestinians.

You will hear, watch and read many lies, misrepresentations, what-ifs, what-about-isms and both-sidisms of reality over the coming days and weeks. Here is how you respond:

1. No ‘yeah-buts’, no ‘what-about’-isms and no excuses justify these horrendous crimes

Whether you are a woman, man, or simply a human being, you must be outraged by the brutal rape and slaughter of innocent civilians. If not, then what values do we have as a society? The premeditated Hamas attacks intentionally targeted innocent Jews in their homes celebrating a Jewish holiday and the weekly sabbath. No matter where you are from, what tribe you belong to or what you believe in, these barbaric acts can never be tolerated, let alone supported.

2. Hamas terrorists are inhumane monsters who committed crimes against humanity

Hamas is not a freedom fighting resistance movement. It is a radical, misogynistic terror organization, committing rape, torture and genocide with only one goal – the extermination of the Jewish state. In fact, Hamas causes just as much harm to the Palestinian people they govern. The horrific violations of international humanitarian law prove a blatant disregard for the sanctity of human life and the principles that underpin a civilized society.

3. There is no moral equivalence between Israelis and Palestinian terrorists

Israel is a democratic nation committed to the protection of human rights. Iran’s radical Islamist leaders and its proxies are dedicated to the extermination of all Israelis – especially Jews. Democratic societies uphold the principles of due process, justice and proportionality in their efforts to safeguard citizens. In stark contrast, Hamas barbarians’ blatant disregard of these principles by deliberately targeting innocent civilians, launching rockets from densely populated areas and using human shields as part of their strategy. Such actions are fundamentally immoral and run counter to the most basic values of humanity. Intentionally harming civilians is morally indefensible.

4. Iran and Hamas are to blame for the savage attacks, not Israel

Opponents of Israel are placing blame for the murders, kidnappings and rocket barrages on the Jewish state and its victims. There is NO justification for beheading babies, slaughtering 260 Israelis at a music festival, kidnapping Holocaust survivors and butchering families in their homes. Iran is the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism, including its proxies, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Iran's longstanding support – financially and militarily – has emboldened terrorists to carry out these brutal attacks, undermining regional stability and demonstrating an utter disregard for the sanctity of human life. Blaming Israel for defending its citizens against such savagery is a perverse denial of the truth.

5. Palestinian terrorists intentionally target civilians, the Israeli military does not



Hamas terrorists do not wear military uniforms; they blend in with civilians. These evildoers build bases, store bombs and launch rockets from civilian neighborhoods. On the other hand, Israel is recognized by world military leaders for being exemplary in the care taken to avoid civilian casualties. The IDF notifies Palestinians before taking out Hamas sites in Gaza. Hamas did not provide any warning before butchering Israelis celebrating outside and sleeping inside. There is no defense for the crimes against humanity committed by Hamas and its allies.

Dispelling Falsehoods, Stating Facts

Here are a few additional facts and reminders to help you respond to criticisms of Israel:

You might hear: Hamas is attacking and targeting “occupied settlements.”

Reality: The Israeli communities attacked by Hamas are legally established towns and cities of the independent state of Israel. Hamas sees ALL of Israel as one occupied territory that must be destroyed.

 **********

You might hear: Israel is to blame

Reality: No matter your politics, there is NO justification for beheading infants, slaughtering 260 young people in cold blood at a music festival, murdering families in their homes and kidnapping Holocaust survivors.

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You might hear: This attack is because of the occupation. Gaza is occupied and under a blockade.

Reality: Gaza is an independent territory governed by Iran-backed Hamas. Israel uprooted all of its settlements from Gaza in 2006 and withdrew all of its civilians and soldiers. Israel left behind greenhouses and other infrastructure, which Palestinian extremists destroyed. Israel and Egypt, both share a border with Gaza, yet Israel was the only country attacked.

 **********

You might hear: Gaza is an open-air prison, a concentration camp.

Reality: Hamas has been the independent government of Gaza since 2007 when it violently seized control from the Palestinian Authority. Hamas is free to build schools and improve the lives of Gazans yet it chooses to divert most of its funds to dig tunnels and build rockets. Any Palestinian suffering is caused by the terrorists that impose their will on their citizens.

 **********

You might hear: Israel targets Palestinian civilians.

Reality: Hamas terrorists do not wear military uniforms; they blend in with civilians. They build bases, store bombs and launch rockets intentionally from civilian neighborhoods. Israel is recognized by the world’s best militaries for the care it takes to avoid civilian casualties.

 **********

You might hear: Palestinians do not have bomb shelters.

Reality: Hamas is free to build shelters for its people but launches rockets at Israeli civilians, while establishing its own bases in densely populated areas, using its own people as human shields.

 **********

You might hear: Free Palestine: From the River to the Sea, Palestine Will be free.

Reality: This statement is not in support of a two-state solution, or any form of co-existence. It calls for destruction and elimination of the entire Jewish state – from the Jordan river to the Mediterranean sea.

A.   Donate to organizations providing aid to Israelis

American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee: emergency response

Israeli American Council: a link to various entities, including hospitals

Jewish Federations of North America: crisis response

Jewish National Fund-USA: Israel Resilience Campaign

Magen David Adom: Israel’s national emergency medical service

NATAL: the Israel Trauma and Resiliency Center

The Sderot Foundation: Sderot is a Gaza border town

United Hatzalah: volunteer EMS service

Beware of fraudulent donation websites, often shared on social media, and only donate to reputable, well-established organizations.

B.   Promote our talking points to support Israel and American Jews

As the tide of public opinion and news media coverage begins to turn against Israel as it has previously, please continue to share our story with your family, friends and coworkers. When the Jewish state is attacked, Jews around the world share their pain. We need allies who can stand by our side and help tell our story.

PHOTOS AND VIDEOS

IDF: Raw Footage Compilation: Hamas’ Invasion & Attacks on Israel

MEMRI: In Video, Ismail Haniyeh And Other Hamas Leaders Watch Al-Jazeera Coverage Of Hamas's Invasion

The Focus Project develops and distributes news, background, history and weekly talking points on timely issues to inform individuals and organizations about issues affecting the American Jewish community and Israel, and help readers speak with more consistency and clarity. The editions also provide potential responses for addressing incidents of antisemitism and anti-Zionism. With input from a spectrum of major American Jewish organizations, we focus on that which unites us, rising above political and individual agendas.



Recognizing that hatred of Jews comes in many forms and directions, we strive to address all sources as they arise, and educate our growing audience on topics ranging from inter-religious relations to relevant international developments. From week to week, we may focus on issues arising from the political left, university campuses, from the political right and from institutions, government, and corporations. We don’t try to address all issues in each edition. We hope you will find this information useful in your writing and/or speaking. We are always open to your feedback: [email protected].

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