On the first night of Passover, Cody Balmer smashed a window at the home of Pennsylvania’s Governor Josh Shapiro—where he and his family were hosting a seder—and tossed Molotov cocktails inside. Balmer told police that he was motivated by what Shapiro “plans to do the Palestinian people.” Neil Zuckerman comments:

In the hours before this violent act, Governor Josh Shapiro sat at his family’s Passover seder table and read the ancient words of the Haggadah: “In every generation, there are those who rise up to destroy us.” . . . But those same words that name the threat also carry the answer: “God delivers us from the hands of our enemies.” In other words, we are still here. We are not scared. And we are not going anywhere.

This incident resonates far beyond Pennsylvania. It reflects a global conflict in which too many still refuse to accept a basic truth: the Jewish people are not going anywhere. We have been connected to the Land of Israel for thousands of years, and the people of Israel are here to stay, in our ancestral homeland. Any vision for peace must begin with that acknowledgment. To those who have marched since October 7—condemning Israel and aligning with Hamas—I would say this: the best way to support the people of Gaza is to help them come to terms with that reality.

Noah Rothman adds:

The suspect appeared to believe that he had meted out a righteous blow for justice, and he seems convinced that the community of pro-Palestinian activists would celebrate his actions and martyrdom.

That’s not an unreasonable bet. It was that incentive structure that convinced Balmer to execute a pro-Palestinian terrorist attack on U.S. soil. What else would you call this event? It is an unexceptional expression of the violent passions that typify anti-Israel activism, whether it takes place in the West Bank, Western Europe’s streets and synagogues, or America’s college campuses.

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.