Hostage-taking, like collective punishment, is among the most barbaric but also oldest tactics in human warfare. And yet something qualitative changed on Oct. 7, when Hamas went on its murderous rampage in Israel and abducted more than 200 innocent people into the Gaza Strip. What Hamas, Israel and others do in the coming days and weeks will set new precedents that may open a tenth circle of hell in this and other conflicts to come.

The terror already touches the whole world. In part, that’s because the hostages include citizens of not only Israel but also some 25 other countries — from the US to Thailand, Argentina, Germany, France, Nepal, Russia, China, Sri Lanka, Tanzania and beyond. Almost all humanity now has a chamber of its heart held captive somewhere in the tunnels under Gaza.