On May 26th, the IDF used precision munitions to kill two senior Hamas militants. Unfortunately, Gazan civilians also died as a result of a secondary explosion in a Hamas munitions depot.
Yet again, as always, the world news immediately reported a number of 25+, 35+, or 45+ deaths as data given by the Hamas-run Health Ministry. And soon, the news agencies will walk back the source of the fire that caused the deaths.
War is awful, and no Jew celebrates death––even of their enemies.
The death of innocent civilians––children, women, and men––is all the more terrible.
The IDF made a precision strike 1.7 kilometers––one mile––from the encampment. This means that the IDF is investigating if there were other types of fuels or weapons stored next to a civilian encampment. These investigations take time.
And yet, according to Vox.com, over 40 million people have shared a now-viral AI-generated image that spells out All Eyes on Rafah. The implication is that the world is watching what the IDF is doing in Rafah, which in and of itself isn’t wrong. Theoretically, we should always be aware of and watch military operations worldwide. Except these same folks who have All Eyes on Rafah have made no mention of the 16 civilians killed in a Russian air strike on a shopping mall in Kharkiv, Ukraine on Saturday. They also made no mention of the ten people killed and 160 others who were abducted in a raid by Boko Haram Militants in Nigeria on Monday. So why are all eyes only on Rafah?
One response that came out of the Jewish community was an image with many pictures of Israelis being held hostage that says: “If your eyes are on Rafah, help us find our hostages.” Other responses have raised up the silence given to other war-torn nations.
My heart aches for every civilian death, especially the children. It would be inhumane not to ache. My heart aches every single day for the deaths of the Israelis killed in the massacres of October 7th and in the days since that black Shabbat. My heart longs for the return of our hostages and an end to this war.
Perhaps you have been like me, searching for hope in these trying days. Join me Friday night as I share a message of Divine hope from our Jewish tradition.
Shabbat Shalom and Am Yisrael Chai,
Rabbi Rachael
