They exchanged text messages and emojis. Brief status updates with words of encouragement. A picture of the beloved family dog “Tutsi.”

Until no more messages came.

And then, Cindy Flash, an American, and her Israeli husband Igal vanished into the violence, presumed kidnapped by Hamas.

Four days after Hamas attacked Israel, more than 100 Israelis and potentially dozens of foreign nationals are thought to be held captive in the Gaza Strip. At least 14 U.S. citizens have been killed and an unknown number are still unaccounted for.

Flash, 67, originally from St. Paul, Minnesota, is one of them. She lives in Kfar Aza, a kibbutz in southern Israel near Gaza, where some of the most harrowing and grisly stories have been emerging during the last few days.

“They are breaking down the safe room door,” Flash said in one of her final messages to her daughter Keren, 34. “We need someone to come by the house right now.” She had been communicating with her parents from a few houses away.

Keren described her mother, who worked as an administrator in a local college, as someone who had the “sweetest biggest heart,” who everyone knew and loved, and who had spent a lifetime advocating for the rights of Palestinians, including those who live in Gaza where she may now be held.

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85 points

Israel knew who Netanyahu was when they elected him.

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-51 points

Sure. And Netanyahu is a right-wing asshole. But he isn’t a terrorist.

You see the difference?

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42 points

I’m not here to argue semantics, Hamas are terrorists, Netanyahu is a terrorist.

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21 points

If a terrorist is someone who attacks civilians for political aims, then yes.

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-20 points

Yeah, if I was dead wrong about what words mean, I wouldn’t want to argue semantics either.

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23 points

Hamas are terrorists, Netanyahu is a terrorist. If a terrorist is someone who attacks civilians for political aims.

I find it hard to discriminate Civilian A who was killed from Civilian B who was killed by the other side. Apparently that is a controversial statement around here. Ya’ll are fucked.

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-15 points

Hamas are terrorists because the target civilians for death.

Netanyahu is a corrupt right-wing asshole, but he doesn’t target innocent civilians for death.

If you broaden the word “terrorist” to apply to anyone you don’t like for any reason, the word ceases to have any meaning or weight.

And that gives cover to ACTUAL terrorists.

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7 points

Obviously not.

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