In my long career as a journalist, I’ve borne witness to the depths of human cruelty and degeneracy. But the events of October 7th, 2023, during the Hamas attack on Israeli civilians, have forced me to rethink everything I knew about human behavior and evil. What transpired that day was not merely an act of terrorism—it was something far more sinister, a drug-induced demonic frenzy of violence unleashed by creatures possessed by their twisted and radicalized religious beliefs.
Last year, when the videos and images of the massacre of innocent Israeli civilians flooded social media and mainstream media, it was heart-wrenching and deeply disturbing. A few months prior, I had visited Israel and instantly fell in love with the country. As someone who has traveled extensively around the world, I am usually not easily captivated, but with Israel, it was love at first sight.
However, nothing could have prepared me for the sheer brutality that unfolded. When I returned to Israel last month and spoke with some of the survivors of the terror attack, as well as the first responders who had witnessed the massacre firsthand, the depth of human suffering and horror became painfully clear. The scars, both physical and emotional, are profound, and they left me with a renewed sense of the fragility and strength of life in the face of such evil.
Through a trusted source within Israeli military intelligence, I had access to unedited, raw footage captured by the very body cameras of those who perpetrated these horrors. The scenes defied any sense of humanity, leaving me haunted by the realization that these attackers were not acting out of political motives or even the cold calculation of terror. They were acting as though possessed—motivated not by ideology, but by a bloodlust that transcends any rational cause.
The videos revealed brutalities beyond comprehension. Civilians, including the elderly, women, and children, were not just killed—they were raped, tortured, desecrated, and butchered in ways that felt less like warfare and more like ritualistic slaughter. These images are forever seared into my mind: the laughter, and the revelry of the killers as they carried out unspeakable atrocities. Their faces showed no hesitation, no conflict—only a chilling joy in the destruction of life. It was as though they had shed all remnants of their humanity, driven by a perverse interpretation of their religion that twisted them into something monstrous.
We often hear of terrorism in terms of political statements, insurgencies, or freedom struggles, and while these are abhorrent in their own right, there is at least a discernible motive. But what I saw on October 7th was different. There was no political purpose being served—no statement being made other than sheer hatred for life itself. These attackers were not just fighters for a cause; they were the embodiment of radicalized extremism that has been fed a steady diet of hatred, distorted religious teachings, and dehumanization of the other.
This massacre forces us to confront an uncomfortable truth: not all violence is born from ideology. Sometimes, it is the result of the complete unraveling of the human spirit, a descent into a state where individuals are not merely radicalized—they become possessed by an evil that is indifferent to anything but the annihilation of innocent lives. The creatures that carried out the October 7th massacre were not soldiers, freedom fighters, or even terrorists as we traditionally define them. They were epitomes of a darker force, their humanity long lost to the radicalized perversions that controlled their every action.
What happened on that day is a sobering reminder that extremism, when left unchecked, has the power to turn human beings into something far worse than terrorists. The twisted belief systems that fuel such actions do more than drive violent behavior—they create a dangerous psychological space where violence is not only justified but relished. And that is what makes this attack so terrifying. It was not just a calculated strike against Israel—it was a celebration of death, a grotesque festival of cruelty where human beings, innocent families, were reduced to mere playthings for the killers.
I’ve seen many conflicts throughout my career, but this one feels different. The world needs to understand that this was not terrorism as we typically understand it. This was something darker, a descent into chaos that, if left unchecked, could spread beyond borders, infecting other minds twisted by radicalism. The October 7th attack should be remembered not only for the number of lives lost but for what it reveals about the state of human degeneracy when combined with radicalized hate.
We need to confront this evil head-on, not with platitudes or by sanitizing what it was. The world needs to understand that this massacre was not political—there was no cause worthy of this barbarity. It was, in every sense, a demonic frenzy led by creatures who had long abandoned their humanity for a radicalized interpretation of their faith that glorified death and destruction. It was a day that will haunt us forever and should never be forgotten.
I find myself increasingly disturbed by the lengths to which some individuals go in order to rationalize or justify the unspeakable violence that took place on October 7th. In any truly civilized society, the sanctity of life should be an absolute, unquestionable principle. Yet, we see intellectuals, commentators, and even political figures dissecting the massacre of over 1200 innocent civilians, trying to frame it within some warped ideological or historical context. They pontificate about geopolitical struggles, grievances, and centuries-old conflicts as if these could somehow explain away the horror of slaughtering men, women, and children in cold blood.
What could ever justify the indiscriminate killing of people who were living their ordinary lives, completely unaware that they were about to be thrust into a nightmare? One moment, they were enjoying their homes, their families, their routines—and the next, they were brutally murdered. It is as if their humanity is being erased posthumously, reduced to mere political footnotes in someone else’s argument. There is no cause, no grievance, no ideology that could ever make this acceptable.
This kind of moral relativism—this idea that there might be a “reason” for such a demonic act—is, frankly, appalling. It dehumanizes the victims and absolves the perpetrators of their responsibility. We should be unequivocal in our condemnation, without the pretense of nuance or the mental gymnastics of justification. To seek reasons is to give this massacre a veneer of legitimacy it does not deserve. There can be no justification for the systematic and barbaric slaughter of innocent lives. Anything less than outright, unequivocal outrage is a betrayal of our shared humanity.
What further infuriates me is the selective outrage, the way some in the global discourse treat such events as if they are just another headline to be debated. This wasn’t an incident to be explained—it was pure, unadulterated evil. And in trying to find justification, we betray the memory of the victims and fail to stand for what is right.
A survivor who had lost her husband shared something profoundly moving with me: “It is not revenge I seek—it won’t bring my husband back. But I want my children and their children to live safe and secure in our homeland. And for that to happen, it is incumbent upon the leaders of Israel and the leaders of the world to see the evil that was unleashed on us for what it truly is. You can eliminate terrorists, but the real challenge is to eradicate the radicalism.”
Her words were a reminder that the root of the violence lies not just in the actions of individual attackers, but in the dangerous ideologies that fuel such brutality. True peace will only come when we confront and dismantle the forces that breed this kind of hate.
I love you, Israel. Despite the darkness that surrounds us, I believe we will emerge from this hate, stronger and more united than ever. In these trying times, it is essential to hold onto hope and remember that resilience is in our very nature. The world watches as we confront the unspeakable horrors inflicted upon us, and it is our response that will define not only our future but the future of countless others who look to us for guidance.
The lessons we will impart to those who perpetrate such violence go beyond mere retaliation. The resilience of our spirit will serve as a powerful testament to the strength of our character, and in our pursuit of justice.
We must not allow the actions of a few to dictate our response or our narrative. Instead, we will channel our grief and anger into a collective commitment to protect the innocent—our children, our elders, and all those who embody the heart and soul of our society. Each life lost is a profound tragedy, but we will honor their memory by striving to create a safer, more secure homeland where no one has to live in fear.
In the face of adversity, we have an opportunity to demonstrate the strength of our values. We will not be defined by the hatred that seeks to divide us; instead, we will rise above it, uniting in our common humanity. Let us stand together, hand in hand, and build a future that honors the lives we have lost. We will not be silenced by hate; we will become the voice of hope and resilience, ensuring that our story is one of triumph over adversity. Together, we will illuminate the path forward, proving that love is far more powerful than hate.
