Editorial: The Israeli hostages begin at last to be released from the grip of the Islamic extremist barbarians of Hamas

It was a bittersweet moment yesterday to watch the first return of​ hostages to Israel.

​It was a relief to see those three women return to freedom in a first world country after being held by Hamas terrorists in Gaza. But it was sickening to see them having to make their way through the sort of cheering, armed, masked savages who seized them in the first place and would merrily have murdered them, as they did so many other Israelis on October 7 2023 – one year and three months ago.

Will this ceasefire hold? With barbarians such as Hamas, who knows.

The current truce has been timed ahead of Donald Trump’s installation as president today. It is to be hoped that the incoming president will stand by Israel as much as Joe Biden’s administration did.

President Trump is already extending a deadline to China with regard to Tiktok, which – it is also to be hoped – will not dilute the welcome approach that the outgoing US government showed towards Beijing influence in such a platform, and the security implications. President Trump has also long signalled an end to the Russian war in Ukraine that could in effect vindicate another tyrant, Vladimir Putin.

Many needed changes should flow from Mr Trump’s return to the White House, including a far firmer response to out-of-control immigration and an end to woke and net zero extremism. Let us hope that he will be strong on world affairs, and not in this presidency allow himself to be flattered by dictators.

With regard to Israel, its isolation – led by hostile countries such as Ireland – has been alarming, but the US is mostly still on board. Americans generally understand what happened on October 7, and how it was a manifestation of a nihilistic Islamic fanaticism that poses a grave threat to western values and civilisation.

For now, however the release of hostages is to be celebrated.