It is widely believed that Jesus’ famous last supper prior to his death was a seder, although there is some dispute about this among contemporary scholars. But this connection was certainly in the mind of the Romanian-born Israeli artist Reuven Rubin in 1950, when he painted First Seder in Jerusalem. Stuart Halpern describes the work:

There are secular-looking kibbutzniks, a hasidic rabbi, two IDF-uniform-wearing soldiers, immigrants from Africa, and a young haredi boy with sidelocks. . . . Seated to the left, with his palms turned upwards, is, yes, Jesus.

Jerusalem’s Old City walls can be seen through the windows. The white-haired figure embracing his son on the right is the artist himself. Behind him stands Esther, pouring some wine; . . . the figures are positioned to mirror Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper. That famous image depicts Jesus with his disciples, the evening before his execution by the Romans.

As the art historian Gabriel Goldstein has suggested, “the inclusion of the resurrected Jesus is to remind the world that the Jewish people also suffered and died but yet rose again to life in their own land. Rubin’s title stands in contrast to da Vinci’s—this is a first seder not a last supper.”

On Monday night, the IDF struck a group of Hamas operatives near the Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis, the main city in southern Gaza. The very fact of this attack was reassuring, as it suggested that the release of Edan Alexander didn’t come with restraints on Israeli military activity. Then, yesterday afternoon, Israeli jets carried out another, larger attack on Khan Yunis, hitting a site where it believed Mohammad Sinwar, the head of Hamas in Gaza, to be hiding. The IDF has not yet confirmed that he was present. There is some hope that the death of Sinwar—who replaced his older brother Yahya after he was killed last year—could have a debilitating effect on Hamas.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump is visiting the Persian Gulf, and it’s unclear how his diplomatic efforts there will affect Israel, its war with Hamas, and Iran. For its part, Jerusalem has committed to resume full-scale operations in Gaza after President Trump returns to the U.S. But, Gabi Simoni and Erez Winner explain, Israel does not have unlimited time to defeat Hamas:

Israel faces persistent security challenges across multiple fronts—Iran, the West Bank, Yemen, Syria, and Lebanon—all demanding significant military resources, especially during periods of escalation. . . . Failing to achieve a decisive victory not only prolongs the conflict but also drains national resources and threatens Israel’s ability to obtain its strategic goals.

Only a swift, forceful military campaign can achieve the war’s objectives: securing the hostages’ release, ensuring Israeli citizens’ safety, and preventing future kidnappings. Avoiding such action won’t just prolong the suffering of the hostages and deepen public uncertainty—it will also drain national resources and weaken Israel’s standing in the region and beyond.

We recommend launching an intense military operation in Gaza without delay, with clear, measurable objectives—crippling Hamas’s military and governance capabilities and securing the release of hostages. Such a campaign should combine military pressure with indirect negotiations, maximizing the chances of a successful outcome while minimizing risks.

Crucially, the operation must be closely coordinated with the United States and moderate Arab states to reduce international pressure and preserve the gains of regional alliances.