On Wednesday, families of Israeli hostages held in Gaza convened in Tel Aviv’s central square, where they have been holding rallies for over a year. The gathering coincided with emerging reports of an agreement between Israel and Hamas to halt the fighting in Gaza and facilitate the return of the hostages.
After enduring more than 15 months of captivity under Hamas, the initial group of 33 hostages is expected to return to Israel on Sunday. Negotiations for the release of the remaining 65 hostages are slated to begin approximately two weeks later. The first group—comprising children, women, men over 50, and individuals who are injured or unwell—will be released incrementally over a six-week period. However, uncertainty persists about the status of several hostages, with families awaiting confirmation of who among them remains alive.
The organization Bring Them Home, representing families of the hostages, issued a statement expressing "overwhelming joy and relief" at the agreement. Yet, for many families, exhaustion and uncertainty prevail.
“It’s a roller coaster,” said Yosi Shnaider, a cousin of Shiri Bibas, who, along with her husband Yarden and their children Ariel and Kfir (then aged four years and ten months), was abducted during Hamas’s attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.
“We don’t know if they’re on the list, if they’ll return in the first phase, or even if they’re alive,” he added. “It’s terrifying.”
The phased return of hostages, spread over several weeks, has cast a shadow over the hope of reunification.
“The families cannot stand it anymore,” Shnaider said. “I have no words to describe how difficult it is.”
The Bibas family remains among the most high-profile hostages still held in Gaza. Ariel and Kfir are the only children left after a previous agreement in November 2023, which saw the release of over 100 hostages from the initial group of 251 abducted during the October 7 attack. This attack, carried out by Hamas fighters, marked the deadliest day in Israel’s history, claiming the lives of approximately 1,200 soldiers and civilians.
The harrowing footage of Yarden Bibas being taken hostage, broadcast widely last year, has kept the family’s plight in the spotlight. Their fate continues to resonate deeply as the conflict in Gaza rages on.
A Deal Amidst Devastation
The agreement, potentially marking the war's end, comes after protracted negotiations and intense pressure from the international community, including U.S. President Joe Biden and incoming President Donald Trump. Trump, in particular, had warned Hamas of severe consequences should the hostages not be returned.
Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has exacted a heavy toll, with Palestinian officials reporting over 46,000 fatalities among fighters and civilians. The extensive destruction has also plunged Gaza’s over 2 million residents into a dire humanitarian crisis.
While Hamas confirmed its agreement on Wednesday, the Israeli cabinet is set to approve it on Thursday. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar cut short a European visit to participate in the cabinet vote.
“This is the right move. This is an important move,” President Isaac Herzog affirmed in a statement. “There is no greater moral, human, Jewish, or Israeli obligation than to bring our sons and daughters home.”
Surveys indicate broad support among Israelis for the deal, which aims to recover the 98 remaining hostages and conclude a war that has left Israel diplomatically isolated and its military strained.
Eighteen-year-old Ariella Cohen expressed the sentiment shared by many: “We’ve been waiting so long for our hostages to come home, praying and hoping. Now it’s finally happening, and we’re so excited.”
Challenges and Opposition
Despite widespread relief, the agreement has drawn criticism from hardline members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and some hostage families. Critics argue that the deal jeopardizes long-term security, while families of military-age male hostages fear these individuals may never be returned due to the complexities of further negotiations.
“This is not an agreement—it’s just hell,” said Daniel Algarat, whose brother Itzhak, 69, was abducted from the Nir Oz kibbutz. “The government doesn’t have a mandate to bring back only some. They need to bring all of them.”
Algarat, whose brother is set to return in the first stage, voiced profound frustration. “We don’t know his condition. We don’t even know if he’s alive.”
As the deal unfolds, it carries the weight of hope and heartbreak, a reflection of the enduring human cost of conflict.
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