Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday surprisingly called out other countries for not demanding Hamas surrender.

“What is striking to me is that even as, again, we hear many countries urging the end to this conflict, which we would all like to see, I hear virtually no one saying – demanding of Hamas that it stop hiding behind civilians, that it lay down its arms, that it surrender. This is over tomorrow if Hamas does that. This would have been over a month ago, six weeks ago, if Hamas had done that,” Blinken said during a press briefing at the State Department Wednesday.

“How can it be that there are no demands made of the aggressor and only demands made of the victim,” Blinken went on to say.

Yes, how can that be?

In the meantime, the good news is that Hamas has rejected any offer of a ceasefire-hostage exchange. Why good news? Because this prevents our government from being railroaded into deals that will tear Israeli society apart. So let us be thankful that Hamas’ cruelty is matched only by its stupidity.

The IDF is making incredible progress in destroying Hamas’ entire military infrastructure in Gaza, and is finishing off its senior commanders: four of the seven senior commanders of the Gaza Brigade are already dead. The elite tunnel system serving senior commanders with their elevators, refrigerators and communications networks has also been exposed and will be destroyed. Can Sinwar, that rat, be far away?

Palestinians are surrendering in droves holding flags with the words in Hebrew “Am Yisroel Chai” -The Jewish People Lives! Quite a change from the tune they were singing on October 7. Likewise, Gazan bloggers who released joyous videos in the wake of the barbarous murders are now showing themselves crying for their own dead families. Boo-hoo. I guess if Mein Kampf in Arabic wasn’t such a bestseller all over Gaza and the West Bank (copies are being found by the IDF everywhere) they would have had a better future for themselves and their children.

Still, the rocket fire from Gaza to Israel continues. Thirty rockets sent this afternoon to Tel Aviv and its environs. There are photos of large pieces of shrapnel all over the country. Miraculously, no human casualties or injuries so far, and not even much property damage. Two large pieces fell in a car park in Ashdod, exactly where they didn’t touch a single car! The war in the North with Hezbollah is also heating up, with five anti-tank missiles, a number of drones, and mortar shells hurled at border town Margaliot for hours.

The latest friends of Israel to arrive and show support include Jerry Seinfeld, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, as well as actress Debra Messing in combat gear, who together with Israel’s dear friend Douglas Murray are joining the IDF in Gaza. I thank them all for coming, learning, and going back to share the truth with influential people back home

A fascinating essay by Lee Smith entitled “The Global Empire of Palestine” puts our war with Hamas into perspective. As long as the mythical, global Palestinian State exists in the minds of admiring, worldwide multitudes, who cherish and identify with its death-cult wishes and black-hearted, deviant inhabitants, Hamas will be hard to defeat in a permanent and true victory.

We are gazing over the same landscape Noah faced when asked by G-d to build his ark: a world filled to overflowing with hatred, violence and evil, bereft of any moral right to exist. Whatever we accomplish in tearing down this truly despicable universe, if it is refinanced and repaired and allowed to rise again, will demean our sacrifices and the killing will go on. But perhaps, not so close to Israel’s borders. Perhaps the best we can hope for is distance, and more reaction time when the next horsemen of the apocalypse come calling. So far, Israel is the only one manning the wall to keep out the Death Riders. May God watch over our soldiers and our hostages.