J Street Relieved and Overjoyed By Release of Israeli Hostages, J Street
J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami writes, “‘We are overwhelmed with relief and share in the profound joy of the hostages and their families. For more than two years, the hostages endured unimaginable suffering while their families fought tirelessly for their release. The images of the hostages finally reunited with their loved ones are deeply moving and a much-needed reminder of hope and humanity.”
The Hostages Are Home. The Fight for Their Future Is Far From Over, The Forward
J Street National Director of Communal Relations Sam Berkman writes, “If we are sincere about preventing another Oct. 7, and that massacre’s two years of brutal aftermath, we cannot become complacent. We must ensure that the murders of Oct. 7, the suffering of the hostages and the killing of thousands of Gazan civilians are the last great tragedies of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”
Finally, the Day After …, J Street
Jeremy Ben-Ami writes, “So many are so tired, so disillusioned, so angry, so cynical. Understandably so. But on this ‘day after,’ history is giving us another chance – maybe a last chance – to choose hope over hate, courage over fear and a commitment to the future rather than the past.”
Rallying for the Hostages — Up to the Very Last Day, The Jewish News of Northern California
“’This is a story that will be in the history books — people who never gave up,’ [Shimrit] Braun Kamin, J Street’s regional director and part of UnXeptable’s organizing team, told the crowd. ‘Because for two years, through despair, fear, and heartbreak, people kept marching, kept shouting, kept believing that this day would come.’”
How Do I Feel?, Substack
Jeremy Ben-Ami writes, “I make no excuse for my utter joy that, at this moment, there are no living hostages being held in tunnels in Gaza – no one left to suffer the unimaginable after more than two long years. I make no excuse for my deep sadness at the death, destruction, and heartbreak these years have brought – for Israelis, for Palestinians, for everyone touched by this unending tragedy.”
Remaining Living Hostages Return to Israel Alongside Palestinian Prisoner Release, Time
“The living Israeli hostages held in Gaza have been freed under the first phase of President Donald Trump’s peace plan to end the Israel-Hamas war. As part of the deal, Israel released 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences and an additional 1,700 Gazans detained after Oct. 7, 2023.”
Returning Hostage Bodies From Gaza May Take Time, Red Cross Says, Reuters
“It may take considerable time to hand over remains of hostages and detainees who died during the Israel-Hamas war, a ‘massive challenge’ given the difficulties of finding bodies in Gaza’s rubble, the International Committee of the Red Cross said.”
Palestinians Celebrate as Prisoners Are Released by Israel Under Gaza Ceasefire Deal, AP
“Cheers erupted among Palestinians on Monday as Israel released nearly 2,000 prisoners under a Gaza ceasefire agreement that saw them exchanged for Israeli hostages freed by Hamas.”
Israel Identifies Bodies of Four Dead Hostages Returned by Hamas, BBC
“It named two of the hostages as Guy Illouz, a 26-year-old Israeli, and Bipin Joshi, a 23-year-old Nepalese citizen whose death in captivity had previously not been confirmed. The other two hostages’ names have not yet been cleared for publication by their families, the military said.”
Israel Opens Fire on Several People in Gaza To Remove ‘Threat’, The Hill
“The Israel Defense Forces on Tuesday said it opened fire on what it described as several suspects approaching troop positions in northern Gaza, as local authorities reported six people killed.”
Middle East ‘Doomed’ Without Palestinian State, King of Jordan Tells BBC, BBC
“‘If we don’t solve this problem,’ King Abdullah said, ‘if we don’t find a future for Israelis and Palestinians and a relationship between the Arab and Muslim worlds and Israel, we’re doomed.’”
Now Comes the Hard Part for the Gaza Cease-Fire Plan, The New York Times
David M. Halbfinger and Adam Rasgon write, “Getting Israel’s hostages released from Gaza […] was almost certainly the easy part. Getting Hamas to give up its weapons, and demilitarizing the Gaza Strip — key preconditions for Israel to pull out of Gaza fully, as both President Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated on Monday — could prove a lot harder.”
Trump’s Flaws in Domestic Politics Helped Broker Gaza Ceasefire, The Jerusalem Post
Sebastien Levi writes, “In diplomacy, his lack of specifics and firm beliefs was actually a blessing as it helped him focus on the end goal, declare the deal done while leaving to others the necessity to work things out. What does not work on health care or taxes can work in diplomacy, especially when the views seem irreconcilable.”
The Uncomfortable Truth About Netanyahu’s ‘Victory’, The New York Times
Dr. Shira Efron writes, “It’s clear that this breakthrough signals the beginning of the end. That is, it is clear to most except the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which is minimizing the deal’s scope while selling it as a diplomatic, moral and security triumph: Israel keeps troops in most of Gaza even after freeing the hostages, with no firm timeline for further withdrawal.”