Photo by Derek Redd Rabbi Joshua Lief stands outside the Temple Shalom, where 240 flags have been placed to remember at least 240 hostages taken hostage in Israel by Hamas in early October. At least 100 are still being held hostage.

WHEELING — Flags outside Temple Shalom in Woodsdale seek to remind passersby that more than 100 Israelis still are being held captive by Hamas.

The temple placed 240 Israeli flags on the grass outside the building along Bethany Pike. Each of the flags represents one of the hostages initially taken by Hamas, and the synagogue wants to help ensure the public does not forget about them, Rabbi Joshua Lief said.

“On Oct. 7, terrorists from Hamas crossed the border into Israel in large numbers, brutally murdered over 1,000 people in their homes, burned people alive, mutilated them, and raped dozens and dozens of women,” he said. “And they took over 200 hostages — little infants, children, men, women, the elderly — back into Gaza.

“Can you imagine if that happened in Wheeling? Would we call for restraint? Or would we demand justice?”

In late November, there was a brief ceasefire between Hamas and Israel for an exchange of people, he said. Israel got back “about 100 hostages” being held by Hamas, while Israel released about 240 imprisoned Palestinians.

Lief said that many of those Hamas wanted released had been convicted of violent crimes “in exchange for releasing grandparents.”

“It was not an equal exchange — in numbers or in why they were being detained,” Lief continued. “They were being held in jail for violent crimes, while the Israelis were being held as hostages against their will — and were taken from their beds in the middle of the night.”

Only about half of the hostages being held by Hamas were returned to Israel, Lief said.

Multiple news outlets have reported since then that Hamas had rejected other ceasefire proposals offered in December.

The Associated Press reported Tuesday that officials in Qatar, one of the mediators in the conflict, said Hamas’ response to the latest proposal for a ceasefire was “generally positive,” though no agreement had yet been reached. Hamas, according to AP, is still seeking a “comprehensive and complete” ceasefire. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel is committed to “total victory” over Hamas and the release of all hostages.

Meanwhile, Israel has continued to bombard Palestinian sites in Gaza. This resulted in “almost 200,000 (Palestinians) displaced from their homes, almost all buildings turned to rubble, and thousands of people dead,” Lief continued.

He noted the Palestinians are suffering because of the actions of Hamas.

“(T)he terrorists of Hamas are not the ones feeling the brunt and pain of the war,” Lief said. “The average Palestinian citizen is. And Hamas leadership likes that. They want more dead Palestinians and more rubbled buildings because it makes Israel look like the ‘bad guy’ when in effect Hamas are actual bad guys.”

He said the flags will remain in place so long as the Israeli hostages continue to be held by Hamas.