Freeing bloodthirsty Hamas thugs will be worse than releasing monsters like Ted Bundy into world, warns ex-IDF soldier

ISRAEL must destroy Hamas and not allow a single bloodthirsty thug to be freed, a former IDF soldier has warned.

Benjamin Anthony blasted the idea of letting Hamas terrorists loose as part of a hostage deal, saying it would be worse than freeing some of the world's worst ever serial killers.

The former Israel Defence Forces (IDF) combat reservist said the world would never allow for the release of Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer or Fred and Rose West among other sick killers.

And he warned the Hamas monsters captured and held by Israel pose a far greater threat if they were ever freed.

It comes as reports this week claim 800 Palestinian prisoners could be returned in exchange for 40 of the hostages still being held captive.

It could include dozens of Palestinian criminals who are serving life sentences for terrorist attacks, Israeli media outlets report.

But Benjamin, originally from Leeds, said there is no justifiable reason to hand over any captured Hamas terrorists.

It's a particularly macabre deal. It's an awful deal

Benjamin Anthonyex-IDF soldier

Benjamin told The Sun: "If one can imagine people calling for the release of Rosemary West, the Yorkshire Ripper and Jack the Ripper.

"Or if one can imagine calling for the release of Ted Bundy and and Jeffrey Dahmer, and some of the most notorious murderers in the world in the world.

"That gives you some idea as to the horrific character and nature of the people that Hamas wants to have released."

Despite the horrific crimes caused by serial killers in the past, they committed the barbaric acts based on their "own murderous viewpoints and intentions", the former soldier said.

Whereas for Hamas, it is a culture deeply ingrained into their society as a terror group, he explained.

Benjamin feels that those responsible for the attacks on thousands of innocent civilians on October 7 had been trained to ruthlessly kill from a young age.

More worryingly, they have also been teaching their own children the same things, he said.

"The people that Hamas want to have released actually represent what Hamas is educating to its children," Benjamin said.

"To believe, to adopt the philosophy of and to ultimately carry out [murderous orders], as we saw so many of them do on October 7.

"So it's a particularly macabre deal. It's an awful deal."

Benjamin volunteered to fight for the IDF in the second Lebanon War in 2006.

He stayed in service until 2014 in various roles - including fighting in the West Bank and along Israel’s northern border.

But since the war in Gaza started, Benjamin and his company at the Miriam Institute have been helping IDF soldiers by bringing them supplies and equipment.

They are also helping civilians by bringing much-needed food to their homes.

Benjamin believes the war will only end when two things have been achieved - bringing back all the hostages and categorically destroying Hamas.

We must ratchet up the war machine and move forward to crash, destroy, and eliminate Hamas's military capabilities

Benjamin Anthonyex-IDF soldier

He slammed Hamas' proposal of a permanent ceasefire.

He said: "Destroying Hamas' military capabilities is vital to our war goals.

"I think, we need to have a temporary pause, not a ceasefire, and certainly not a long term ceasefire, but a temporary pause in order to bring our hostages back to their loved ones into their countries.

"But then we must also ratchet up the war machine and move forward to crash, destroy, and eliminate Hamas's military capabilities.

"It's vital that we do that."

When quizzed on why the world needs to eliminate Hamas, Benjamin had a simple response.

"They murdered 1,200 people," he said.

"This is a number that seems to be fading into the background, but I want to place it back onto the foreground.

"They murdered 1,200 people, kidnapped 240 others and are holding 134 inside their dungeons and their tunnels.

"To this day our hostages are languishing."

One way he feels the IDF can achieve such an end to the brutal war is by storming the Rafah crossing - a plan heavily backed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.