The release of the 20 living Israeli hostages from Hamas captivity in Gaza on Monday marked a profound moment of relief and joy for the people of Israel and Jewish communities across the globe.
The Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) expressed deep appreciation to U.S. President Donald Trump for his "historic and lifesaving leadership" in forging the diplomatic agreement that ended the brutal ordeal the hostages suffered for two years and brought them home to their loved ones.
While the hostage saga is over, international pressure must be maintained on Hamas to fulfill its side of the deal, including the immediate return of Israeli bodies it still holds.
The apparent end of the war in Gaza also does not mean the global wave of antisemitism triggered by the October 7th massacre will necessarily subside in the foreseeable future. An anti-Israel protest in London, England, last weekend featured numerous blatant examples of antisemitic incitement, including chants for Israeli Jews to "go back home" and "put the Zios in the ground," as well as signs glorifying the Iranian regime.
Over the past week, monitoring by the Antisemitism Research Center (ARC) by CAM showed no changes in overall antisemitism levels, with notable recorded incidents including:
- United States: A massive Nazi swastika was displayed across a hillside overlooking Interstate 70 near Denver, Colorado.
- United States: A Jewish man in Missoula, Montana, was physically attacked by a self-proclaimed Nazi.
- Ukraine: A Jewish man was pepper-sprayed outside the Obolon Synagogue in Kyiv by a group of young assailants.
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