On Democracies and Death Cults

1. The Shocking Scale and Brutality of the October 7th Massacre

To put it in perspective, the death toll on October 7 was the equivalent of some 44,400 Americans being killed by terrorists on a single day.

A surprise attack. On the morning of October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a massive, coordinated assault on southern Israel, breaching the border by land, sea, and air. Air-raid sirens sounded across the country, signaling an unprecedented event far beyond the usual rocket fire. This surprise attack occurred on the Jewish Sabbath and the festival of Simchat Torah, catching many off guard.

Unimaginable horror. Reports quickly emerged of hundreds, then thousands, of terrorists streaming into communities and a music festival. The scale of the slaughter became apparent over weeks, with the final death toll reaching nearly 1,200 people, overwhelmingly civilians. The attack included horrific acts:

• Mass shootings (364 killed at the Nova festival)
• Burning people alive in their homes
• Beheadings and mutilation
• Widespread sexual violence against men and women
• Kidnapping of approximately 250 people of all ages

A national trauma. For a country of 9 million, the impact was devastating, equivalent to multiple 9/11s in the US. The brutality was often filmed and broadcast by the terrorists themselves, adding another layer of horror. This massacre, the largest killing of Jews since the Holocaust, plunged Israel into deep trauma.

2. Hamas: A Death Cult That Celebrates Atrocity

“Look how many I killed with my own hands! Your son killed Jews!”

Relish in violence. Unlike the Nazis who attempted to hide their worst crimes, the Hamas terrorists on October 7 performed their atrocities with visible glee and pride, often recording and broadcasting their actions. This demonstrated an intense joy in killing, particularly Jews. One terrorist's phone call home exemplified this:

• He boasted to his father and mother about killing ten Jews with his own hands.
• His parents responded with blessings and pride, wishing they were with him.
• He insisted there was "no going back," only "death or victory."

A distinct evil. This open celebration of murder, even among family, marked a departure from historical patterns of evil, where perpetrators often sought to conceal their deeds. It revealed a "cult of death" ideology where violence and killing were not just means to an end but sources of exultation.

Beyond political aims. The motivation appeared deeply religious and ideological, not merely political. This fanatical commitment to violence, even boasting about strangling victims with bare hands as a religious duty (as Yahya Sinwar reportedly did), made them distinct and particularly dangerous.

3. The World's Upside-Down Reaction: Celebrating Attackers, Condemning Victims

But it was not a protest against the horrors of the previous day. It was not a protest against the terrorists of Hamas. It was instead a protest against the State of Israel and the citizens of the world’s only Jewish state.

Immediate anti-Israel protests. Within hours and days of the massacre, while fighting was still ongoing in Israel, protests erupted in Western cities not against Hamas, but against Israel. Rallies in Times Square, London, Paris, and elsewhere celebrated the attacks. Signs and chants included:

• "Long Live Intifada" and "Jihad, jihad, jihad!"
• "Resistance Is Justified" and "By Any Means Necessary"
• "From the River to the Sea" (a call for Israel's elimination)
• Open praise for Hamas and their actions

Lack of condemnation for Hamas. Strikingly, there was not a single major protest against Hamas in any Western city. The perpetrators of the massacre faced no criticism on the streets, despite Western governments having funded Palestinian entities for years, money Hamas diverted for terror infrastructure.

Denial and dehumanization. As news of the atrocities, including mass rape, emerged, a wave of denial swept parts of the world. Hostage posters were torn down in cities globally, suggesting a refusal to acknowledge the victims' plight. Some even suggested the Nova partygoers were legitimate targets, dehumanizing them based on false accusations against Israel.

4. Israel's Intelligence and Military Failures on Black Saturday

“You cannot sneeze in Gaza without us knowing.”

The failed "conception". For years, Israeli security consensus operated under a "conception" that Hamas, having gained power and wealth (leaders became billionaires), would prioritize maintaining their comfortable status over launching a suicidal attack. This belief ignored Hamas's stated genocidal aims and religious fanaticism.

Ignored warnings and hubris. Despite warnings from border units about unusual activity near the fence for months, these were reportedly dismissed, partly due to a sense of Israeli invincibility in intelligence ("humint" and "sigint") and military capabilities (Iron Dome). This hubris contributed to the catastrophic surprise.

Delayed response. On October 7th, the IDF was slow to mobilize and reach the attacked communities, leaving civilians to fend for themselves for hours. This failure shattered the core Israeli belief that the state would always protect its citizens, particularly Jews, after centuries of persecution and statelessness.

5. Stories of Survival, Loss, and Extraordinary Heroism

This is humanity against evil.

Unspeakable suffering. The massacre left a trail of personal tragedies. Families sheltering in safe rooms were burned alive or shot, like the Bachar family in Be'eri. Hostages, from infants to the elderly, were dragged into Gaza, their fates unknown for months. The Nova festival survivors witnessed horrors that led to severe trauma, self-harm, and mental collapse for some.

Civilian heroism. Amidst the state's initial failure, ordinary citizens and first responders displayed immense courage. Volunteers from United Hatzalah, Jewish, Muslim, and Druze, rushed towards the danger. Individuals like Nimrod Palmach defied orders to drive into the war zone and fight, while police officers like Harel defended their stations against overwhelming odds.

Enduring pain and resilience. The families of the kidnapped endured agonizing uncertainty, forming a movement to bring their loved ones home. Survivors like Ron Bahat of Nir Oz, who lost a quarter of his community, faced the ruins of their lives but spoke of rebuilding. These personal accounts underscore the profound human cost and the resilience in the face of unimaginable evil.

6. The Western Disconnect: Propaganda vs. Reality in Gaza

That would make it the first concentration camp in history in which the population actually grew.

False accusations. Critics widely accused Israel of running an "apartheid" regime and turning Gaza into a "concentration camp." These claims were demonstrably false:

• Israel's non-Jewish population has grown seventeen-fold since 1948, with Arab citizens having equal rights and representation in all sectors.
• Gaza's population grew from 1.3 million in 2005 to over 2 million by 2023, contradicting the idea of a concentration camp.

Misuse of aid and wealth. Billions in international aid flowed into Gaza, largely through UN agencies, but was diverted by Hamas. Hamas leaders became billionaires living in luxury abroad, while simultaneously claiming their people lived in poverty and under siege. Before the war, Gaza had restaurants, pools, and promenades, a reality often ignored by critics.

Cynical tactics. Hamas deliberately embedded military infrastructure within civilian areas (homes, schools, mosques, hospitals), using the population as human shields. They also used tactics like sending out civilians with white flags to mask attacks, making it incredibly difficult for the IDF to operate without causing civilian casualties, which Hamas welcomed as propaganda victories.

7. Anti-Semitism as a Shifting Virus and Societal Mirror

Tell me what you accuse the Jews of—I’ll tell you what you’re guilty of.

An adaptable hatred. Anti-Semitism is unique in its ability to shapeshift across history. Jews have been hated for their religion, then their race, then for being stateless, and now for having a state. This creates an impossible bind: Jews are condemned whether they assimilate or not, are rich or poor, religious or secular, stateless or sovereign.

Grossman's insight. As Vasily Grossman observed, anti-Semitism is not an end but a means, a mirror reflecting the failures and guilt of the accuser. Societies project their own flaws onto Jews. For example, colonial powers accuse Israel of colonialism, and groups that celebrate death accuse Jews of bloodthirstiness.

Modern manifestations. This projection is evident in the West today. Young people taught that their own countries are built on racism and genocide may project these perceived sins onto Israel. The eagerness to accuse Israel of Nazi-like crimes (concentration camps, genocide) by those who deny or downplay their own nations' complicity in the Holocaust is a striking example of this phenomenon.

8. Iran's Imperial Ambitions and Proxy Network of Terror

The “Jerusalem-occupying regime,” he said, “must be erased from the page of time.”

Regional expansion. The revolutionary Islamic government in Tehran, while decrying Western imperialism, has become a major imperial power itself, dominating Iraq, Lebanon (via Hezbollah), Syria, and Yemen (via Houthis). Their stated goal, reiterated by leaders like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is the annihilation of Israel.

Funding and training proxies. Iran provides billions in funding, training, and weaponry to groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, creating a "Resistance Front" aimed at destabilizing the region and attacking Israel. These proxies act as extensions of Iranian power, allowing Tehran to wage war without direct confrontation.

Coordinated threat. The October 7th attack was part of a broader Iranian-backed plan, with Hezbollah intended to join from the north. The subsequent attacks by Hezbollah from Lebanon and Houthis from Yemen demonstrated the coordinated nature of this network. Iran's direct missile attack on Israel in 2024 showed their willingness to escalate when proxies are weakened.

9. The Fundamental Divide: Societies That Value Life vs. Those That Worship Death

In one of the messages, Sinwar described the deaths of civilians in Gaza as “necessary sacrifices.”

Contrasting ideologies. A stark moral divide exists between Israeli society, which fundamentally values life and goes to extraordinary lengths to save its citizens (like the 1000-for-1 prisoner swap for Gilad Shalit), and groups like Hamas and Iran, which embrace death and "martyrdom." Yahya Sinwar viewed Palestinian civilian deaths as strategic assets and "necessary sacrifices."

Cynical use of civilians. Hamas and Hezbollah deliberately use their own civilians as human shields, embedding military assets among them and preventing them from evacuating, knowing that resulting casualties will generate international condemnation of Israel. This contrasts sharply with Israel's efforts to warn civilians before strikes.

Different forms of grief. The reaction of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh to the deaths of his sons and grandchildren (joyful acceptance of "martyrdom") stands in chilling contrast to the profound grief and humanity shown by Israeli leaders and families who lost loved ones, like Gadi Eisenkot mourning his son and nephew. This reveals a fundamental difference in how human life is valued.

10. The Enduring Struggle for Survival and the Pursuit of Victory

I’m concentrating on one responsibility that I have, and that is to win this war and achieve total victory.

A history of existential threats. Israel has faced attempts at annihilation since its founding, forcing it into a constant struggle for survival. The October 7th attack, intended to be the first of many coordinated assaults, was the latest manifestation of this existential threat.

The need for deterrence. For a small country surrounded by larger, hostile entities, deterrence is paramount. The failures leading up to October 7 highlighted the dangers of complacency and the need for decisive action to prevent future attacks.

Shifting the balance. After the initial shock, Israel launched a determined campaign to dismantle Hamas and counter the broader Iranian network. Significant blows were dealt to Hezbollah's infrastructure and leadership (pagers, walkie-talkies, Nasrallah's death) and Hamas's command structure (Sinwar's death), shifting the momentum of the conflict. The goal, as stated by Prime Minister Netanyahu, is "total victory" to ensure the long-term future of the Jewish state.

Last updated: May 3, 2025