It seems that, these days, Israel is more rife with internal powder kegs, and time ran away from us the last few weeks. The Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal talks slowed to a stalemate, despite the grand promises and threats of US President Donald Trump, and despite a successful first phase.
Israel does not want to advance to the second phase because that would mean a military pullout from Gaza, without assurances that Hamas would honor releasing all the remaining hostages. Israel has insisted that military pressure has pushed Hamas into somewhat of a corner so far, thus moving talks along.
A security source revealed on Monday that Israel demanded 10 living hostages in the first phase of a 40-day ceasefire and hostage deal, instead of the five that Hamas was reportedly offering. Whatever deal is possibly pending, time is of the essence.
Time to bring them home
Testimonies from released hostages all highlight that very clear message: They are out of time. It is preposterous to say it a year and a half after they were kidnapped, but those who are alive are being tortured like animals and hanging on by a thread. They need to be brought home now, and the importance and duty to do so do not get diminished by internal strife, regardless of the strains.
Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan is still being held in Gaza, gave Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a letter at his criminal trial on Monday, detailing the conditions in which her son is held and calling on him to bring all the hostages back. She wrote that Matan is genetically predisposed to a type of muscular dystrophy, and that the stress of captivity could trigger it. Zangauker also reminded the prime minister that all of the hostages are humanitarian cases and are bearing impossible conditions, telling him that they all must be brought home.
This is reiterating what hostage families and released hostages have said for months—those who have told their story publicly and those who preferred anonymity, given the gravity of what they endured and the very real fear that the hostages who remain behind could get hurt. Released hostages have consistently said that their own healing—and that of the entire nation—cannot start without the full return of the hostages.
Last month, Eli Sharabi, who was released in February, said in a harrowing interview that 24-year-old hostage Alon Ohel became like a son to him. He wasn’t sure how Ohel would manage alone in captivity, both physically and mentally. One of the main reasons he did the interview in the first place was to cry out for Alon.
Alon’s parents, Kobi and Idit, spoke with Netanyahu this week, after sending him a letter detailing his conditions as relayed by freed hostage Or Levy. Kobi said after the phone call that he felt somewhat encouraged, and that health experts say Alon’s condition has significantly worsened in captivity due to an untreated eye injury from October 7, as well as continuous inadequate living and sanitary conditions.
Twenty families came together on Sunday to pen a letter to Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer to emphasize their deep worry for their loved ones. Dermer has supposedly been the frontal figure leading the negotiations since Trump won the American elections.
“We write to you with worry, dread, and growing fury—it appears that the hostage negotiations stalled and have not continued, as their time is running out,” they wrote.
They added, “It feels as though this issue of returning our loved ones has fallen to the bottom of the national priority list, in a glaring and audacious disregard of the basic obligations and responsibilities that a state has towards its citizens.”
They noted that a month has passed since Dermer joined the team, but there have been no advancements. They implored the minister to take the initiative and push for the release of the remaining hostages.
As the news tumbles with another scandal each day, we must not lose sight of the core values that bind us together: brotherhood. They must come home.
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