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The Case Against a Ceasefire with Hezbollah: A Jewish Perspective
People rush to a soccer field hit by a Hezbollah rocket in the majority-Druze northern Israeli town Majdal Shams Photo: Via 924, from social media used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah presents profound questions about security, morality, and the responsibilities of a nation bound by both historical and religious imperatives.
From a Jewish religious standpoint, the notion of a ceasefire with Hezbollah raises critical issues about the survival of the Jewish people and the imperative to protect the land of Israel.
The Torah teaches the importance of self-defense, and the protection of life. In Exodus 22:2-3, we read, “If a thief is caught breaking in and is struck so that he dies, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed; but if it happens after sunrise, the defender is guilty of bloodshed.”
This verse underscores the principle that a person must act to protect themselves and their community. Hezbollah, an organization that openly declares its intention to destroy Israel and its citizens, embodies a direct threat to Jewish life and existence.
Throughout Jewish history, we have faced existential threats, and the Biblical narrative reflects this reality. The wars fought by the Israelites were often in response to direct aggression.
For example, in the Book of Joshua, the Israelites were commanded to engage in battles to secure their land against hostile nations (Joshua 1:6-9). This historical precedent emphasizes that the survival of the Jewish people often required military action against those who sought their annihilation.
Similarly, Hezbollah has shown its desire and willingness to kill Jews, and the people of Israel.
For decades, Hezbollah has engaged in acts of terror and violence against Israeli citizens. The organization, armed with advanced weaponry and trained militias, poses a continual risk to the Jewish State. A ceasefire would not eliminate this threat; instead, it would allow Hezbollah to regroup, rearm, and prepare for future aggression.
Ecclesiastes 3:8 reminds us, “A time for war, and a time for peace,” but it is crucial to recognize when peace is merely a facade for future conflict.
Judaism places a high value on the sanctity of life. The Talmud teaches that saving a single life is akin to saving the entire world (Sanhedrin 4:5). In the face of a persistent threat like Hezbollah, which targets civilians and undermines the security of the Israeli state, the imperative to act is reinforced.
Ceasing military action might result in greater loss of life in the long run, as Hezbollah could continue its assaults unimpeded.
The Jewish tradition stresses vigilance against threats. Proverbs 25:26 states, “Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked.”
Allowing Hezbollah to remain intact and capable contradicts the very essence of Jewish perseverance and survival. This is not merely a military strategy; it is a reflection of our commitment to ensuring a secure future for the Jewish people.
In light of the Biblical imperatives and the contemporary realities facing Israel, it is clear that a ceasefire with Hezbollah would be both a strategic error and a moral failing. The Jewish people have a responsibility to defend themselves against those who seek their destruction. As we reflect on our historical and religious texts, the call to protect innocent Jews remains paramount. We must continue to dismantle Hezbollah’s capabilities, ensuring that we can thrive in peace, security, and faith.
In the end, our commitment to survival is rooted not only in our desire for peace, but in our profound responsibility to protect the sanctity of life for all who call Israel home.
Darren Hollander is the Group CEO of Global Energy, based in South Africa and the United States.
The post The Case Against a Ceasefire with Hezbollah: A Jewish Perspective first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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After False Dawns, Gazans Hope Trump Will Force End to Two-Year-Old War
Palestinians walk past a residential building destroyed in previous Israeli strikes, after Hamas agreed to release hostages and accept some other terms in a US plan to end the war, in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip October 4, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
Exhausted Palestinians in Gaza clung to hopes on Saturday that US President Donald Trump would keep up pressure on Israel to end a two-year-old war that has killed tens of thousands and displaced the entire population of more than two million.
Hamas’ declaration that it was ready to hand over hostages and accept some terms of Trump’s plan to end the conflict while calling for more talks on several key issues was greeted with relief in the enclave, where most homes are now in ruins.
“It’s happy news, it saves those who are still alive,” said 32-year-old Saoud Qarneyta, reacting to Hamas’ response and Trump’s intervention. “This is enough. Houses have been damaged, everything has been damaged, what is left? Nothing.”
GAZAN RESIDENT HOPES ‘WE WILL BE DONE WITH WARS’
Ismail Zayda, 40, a father of three, displaced from a suburb in northern Gaza City where Israel launched a full-scale ground operation last month, said: “We want President Trump to keep pushing for an end to the war, if this chance is lost, it means that Gaza City will be destroyed by Israel and we might not survive.
“Enough, two years of bombardment, death and starvation. Enough,” he told Reuters on a social media chat.
“God willing this will be the last war. We will hopefully be done with the wars,” said 59-year-old Ali Ahmad, speaking in one of the tented camps where most Palestinians now live.
“We urge all sides not to backtrack. Every day of delay costs lives in Gaza, it is not just time wasted, lives get wasted too,” said Tamer Al-Burai, a Gaza City businessman displaced with members of his family in central Gaza Strip.
After two previous ceasefires — one near the start of the war and another earlier this year — lasted only a few weeks, he said; “I am very optimistic this time, maybe Trump’s seeking to be remembered as a man of peace, will bring us real peace this time.”
RESIDENT WORRIES THAT NETANYAHU WILL ‘SABOTAGE’ DEAL
Some voiced hopes of returning to their homes, but the Israeli military issued a fresh warning to Gazans on Saturday to stay out of Gaza City, describing it as a “dangerous combat zone.”
Gazans have faced previous false dawns during the past two years, when Trump and others declared at several points during on-off negotiations between Hamas, Israel and Arab and US mediators that a deal was close, only for war to rage on.
“Will it happen? Can we trust Trump? Maybe we trust Trump, but will Netanyahu abide this time? He has always sabotaged everything and continued the war. I hope he ends it now,” said Aya, 31, who was displaced with her family to Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip.
She added: “Maybe there is a chance the war ends at October 7, two years after it began.”
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Mass Rally in Rome on Fourth Day of Italy’s Pro-Palestinian Protests
A Pro-Palestinian demonstrator waves a Palestinian flag during a national protest for Gaza in Rome, Italy, October 4, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Claudia Greco
Large crowds assembled in central Rome on Saturday for the fourth straight day of protests in Italy since Israel intercepted an international flotilla trying to deliver aid to Gaza, and detained its activists.
People holding banners and Palestinian flags, chanting “Free Palestine” and other slogans, filed past the Colosseum, taking part in a march that organizers hoped would attract at least 1 million people.
“I’m here with a lot of other friends because I think it is important for us all to mobilize individually,” Francesco Galtieri, a 65-year-old musician from Rome, said. “If we don’t all mobilize, then nothing will change.”
Since Israel started blocking the flotilla late on Wednesday, protests have sprung up across Europe and in other parts of the world, but in Italy they have been a daily occurrence, in multiple cities.
On Friday, unions called a general strike in support of the flotilla, with demonstrations across the country that attracted more than 2 million, according to organizers. The interior ministry estimated attendance at around 400,000.
Italy’s right-wing government has been critical of the protests, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni suggesting that people would skip work for Gaza just as an excuse for a longer weekend break.
On Saturday, Meloni blamed protesters for insulting graffiti that appeared on a statue of the late Pope John Paul II outside Rome’s main train station, where Pro-Palestinian groups have been holding a protest picket.
“They say they are taking to the streets for peace, but then they insult the memory of a man who was a true defender and builder of peace. A shameful act committed by people blinded by ideology,” she said in a statement.
Israel launched its Gaza offensive after Hamas terrorists staged a cross border attack on October 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 people hostage.
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Hamas Says It Agrees to Release All Israeli Hostages Under Trump Gaza Plan
Smoke rises during an Israeli military operation in Gaza City, as seen from the central Gaza Strip, October 2, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas
Hamas said on Friday it had agreed to release all Israeli hostages, alive or dead, under the terms of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza proposal, and signaled readiness to immediately enter mediated negotiations to discuss the details.