During the Israel-Hamas war, Jews will soon celebrate Purim — one of their most joyous holidays

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Ahead of the holiday, Israel police have also seized thousands of lifelike toy guns and grenades as part of “Operation Dangerous Toys.” The ministry said the directive was issued “in the shadow of the war and in accordance with the security reality and the characteristics of the current period.” Many cities in Israel have canceled traditional Purim parades, citing the war in Gaza. For example, Israel’s chief Sephardic rabbi, Yitzhak Yosef, evoked a goal of crushing Hamas as he recently issued a ruling on how Israeli soldiers stationed in Gaza should celebrate Purim. “Let it serve as a moment of reflection on our impulse for revenge, on the grave responsibility that comes with holding power and on the moral consequences of failing to honor human life in the name of self-defense.” Among the ways Purim could be observed this year, the rabbis wrote, would be through charitable donations to organizations trying to meet the humanitarian needs of both Israelis and Gazans.