Welcome to Breakpoint, a daily look, and an ever-changing culture through the lens of unchanging truth.

For the Colson Center, I'm John Stone Street.

Two years ago, on October the 7th, 2023, thousands of Hamas terrorists entered Israel and attacked civilians, killing nearly 1,200 Jews.

It was the largest massacre of Jewish people since the Holocaust. In what seemed like a

throwback to some distant barbaric past of human violence, the Islamic terror group targeted

civilians, including beheading children, sexually assaulting women, kidnapping the elderly. Among

those killed were soldiers and civilians, men and women, children and adults.

Of the 250 hostages taken that day, officials estimate that at least 83 have been killed.

At least 48 remain captive.

In the two years since the attack, Hamas has been largely devastated.

Much of the Gaza Strip has been reduced to rubble.

The population there displaced.

Many non-combatants have been killed in the crossfire, though it's impossible to know just how many.

Hamas is notorious for exaggerating civilian loss, and Western news agencies are quick to report whatever numbers, Hamas claims.

Despite Israel's notorious precision, thousands indeed are dead

and millions are suffering. The world is weary of this war, hopeful that the peace talks that are

being conducted this week in Egypt will work. The key components of President Trump's plan for peace

in the region include, and I quote here, the release of all living and dead

hostages in Gaza, a requirement for Hamas to lay down its arms, a withdrawal of Israeli troops

from the territory, the delivery of humanitarian aid, and the installation of a civilian governing

authority for Palestinians. Trump's proposal also came with an ultimatum. If they walk away from this deal,

the president said, that will mean complete obliteration for Hamas. Clearly, the Israelis are intent

...