The news of the hostage release and ceasefire deal brings hope for the return of innocent Israelis held captive by Hamas in Gaza since October 7th. For nearly 470 days, the hostages have suffered unimaginable cruelty, denied their basic human rights by a terrorist group whose barbarity contrasts sharply with Israel’s humane values.
While we are relieved hostages will be freed, the imbalance of exchanging dozens of terrorists for one civilian or soldier highlights the urgent need to hold Hamas accountable for its crimes.
Our data underscores that Australia is experiencing a new rise in antisemitism, with this week’s Global Antisemitism Report documenting 11 incidents in the country, 120% higher than the previous week, 175% higher than two weeks ago, and 267% higher than three weeks prior.
Just last night in Sydney, the former home of Jewish community leader Alex Ryvchin was attacked and two vehicles set ablaze, marking the latest act of life-threatening violence targeting Australian Jews. We stand with Alex and his family at this horrifying moment.
Threats against Jews persist worldwide, including in the United States, where a man in Texas was arrested for emailing threats to a Jewish funeral home. In Azerbaijan, authorities thwarted a terrorist plot to kill a prominent Jewish community member.