(TheIndependentStar.com) – Israel’s President, Isaac Herzog, has revealed something horrifying about the actions of Hamas, a terrorist group his nation is at war with. In an interview with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, Herzog spoke about the traumatic scenes he encountered in Kibbutz Be’eri, near the Gaza Strip, where Hamas had killed a significant portion of its residents.
Herzog recounted the gruesome sight, saying, “I saw the skull of a woman, in which house I visited, the house totally destroyed, totally destroyed, and they just cut her head off. I saw a pool of blood in that house where the picture of the children is hanging, and the grandchildren are hanging on the wall with the knives and the hatchets which they went in. I saw the most horrific scenes possible.”
He emphasized that this particular community had long promoted peace and even provided financial support to the Palestinians in Gaza. Yet, they still faced such a brutal attack.
Herzog also presented a pamphlet, which he claimed was found on a terrorist. He described it, saying, “This booklet is an instruction guide how to go into a civilian premises, into a kibbutz, a city, a moshav, how to break in and first thing what do you do when you find the citizens? You torture them. This is the booklet. It says exactly how to torture them, how to abduct them and how to kidnap them.”
He urged people to see the conflict not as Israel against Palestinians or a religious battle, but as a fight between good and evil.
Herzog was firm in asserting Israel’s right to defend itself. He described the pain his nation is experiencing, saying, “My nation is bleeding. My nation is in pain. My nation is in sorrow.” He further characterized Hamas as a ruthless enemy, and that they needed to be dealt with decisively.
He explained how Hamas has been using civilian areas in Gaza to launch missiles, especially since Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza in 2005. However, the recent attacks have been more intense.
Herzog claimed that while Israel tries to ensure the safety of Palestinian civilians, Hamas obstructs their safe passage. He mentioned, “We are trying now to move the civilians so that they will not be hurt. We want to go in and uproot that infrastructure of terror. Get the mob out from the inner city.”
Before initiating a military operation on the ground, Israel warned Palestinians in Gaza to evacuate through flyers.
The ongoing conflict has led to significant casualties on both sides. Over 4,200 individuals have lost their lives, including 1,400 Israelis and 30 Americans. The Palestinian health authorities report that at least 2,808 Palestinians have died, and over 10,950 have been injured. Thirteen Americans are still missing, according to FOX News.
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has vowed to defeat Hamas, stating his intent to eradicate them in response to the attacks.
