One slow-motion 24 hours after the other, we’ve reached an unfathomable 500 days since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and the capture and captivity of 251 Israeli and foreign hostages.
In November 2023, 105 hostages were released during a weeklong truce, with four other hostages freed before that under varying circumstances. But since then, and for the next 14 months, all efforts to free more hostages failed, with the deaths of several hostages adding to the tragedy befallen the nation.
For all the citizens of Israel, and specifically for the families of those held in Gaza, these 500 days have been agonizing. With each passing day, the hopes and dreams that we would see more of the hostages’ return grew dimmer and dimmer.
Under the first phase of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, 33 hostages would be released over a 42-day period, in exchange for IDF withdrawals within Gaza, the return of some Gazans to their homes, and the release of up to 1,900 Palestinian prisoners – including 737 terrorists who were not captured in Gaza during the war and some of whom are serving life terms for dozens of murders.
Over the last month, like a demented reality TV show, 19 Israeli (and five Thai hostages not part of the 33) have walked to freedom thanks to the ceasefire. Six more hostages are slated to be released over the next two weeks, with the remaining eight of the 33, presumed to be dead, being returned in the final stage of phase one.
As of Saturday, after the return of Sagui Dekel Chen, Sasha Troufanov, and Iair Horn, 73 of the 251 hostages remain in Gaza, including the bodies of at least 34 confirmed dead by the IDF.
That means that there are still likely 36 living hostages experiencing the hell of Gaza, including the six who are part of the 33.
Phase one needs to continue
It’s imperative that phase one of the ceasefire continues to its planned culmination.
Hamas’s grotesque handover ceremonies, release threats, and Israel’s frustration over the trickle of three hostages at a time created ongoing crises. Yet, all the hostages Israel demanded in phase one have come home – a hard-won achievement.
As we’ve seen from the simultaneous joyous and heartbreaking footage of the hostages reuniting with their families, every person is a world unto its own.
If there’s a likelihood that six more hostages will also get to hug their loved ones and help close the deep wounds we’ve all suffered since October 7, how can we not continue to abide by the agreement?
The February 8 release of emaciated hostages Or Levy, Ohad Ben Ami, and Eli Sharabi demonstrated how dire the situation is for the remaining hostages.
That might have been the impetus for US President Donald Trump’s wildest declaration midweek that all of the remaining hostages must be released by last Saturday at noon or the gates of hell would open on Gaza, which would have, for all intent and purpose, shattered the phase one agreement.
If it was Trump’s threat that paved the way for Hamas to step back from its midweek declaration that it wouldn’t free the three hostages slated for release on Saturday, then his strategy worked.
But, there was enough sense in Jerusalem to accept the three hostages as planned without following through on Trump’s carte blanche approval for Israel to once again pummel Hamas – which would have risked the safety of the remaining hostages.
Regardless of what’s gone down over the 500 days, and whether or not you blame Hamas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, MK Itamar Ben-Gvir, or Joe Biden for hostages still languishing in Gaza, the fact is that 128 hostages have come home, 24 of them in the last month.
Phase one must continue, with six more living and eight deceased hostages reaching their final destination. Israel is a party to the agreement and must uphold it, despite, along with the elation at seeing our brothers and sisters come home, the pain and anguish it’s caused.
Just as vital, the government must stop stalling in negotiating phase two of the deal to see the return of the remaining hostages – in one release instead of in phase one's trickle.
After 500 days, this nightmare needs to end, and the remaining hostages must come home.