A Whole Land Holding Its Breath
United by Our Experience of Anxiety
There are few moments when we all come together — friends and foes, allies and enemies — not united by shared values or a vision for the future, but by a shared anxiety.Tonight feels like one of those moments.
Wherever you were born, whichever side you stand on, whoever you vote for — if you live anywhere between the River and the Sea, you are probably holding your breath.
The Bereaved Families
Whether it be the bereaved families of those who have lost loved ones on October 7, or during the war and devastation of the two years that followed it, they are holding their breath, hoping to begin to come to terms with the gaping hole left behind.
Palestinians in Gaza
Whether it be the displaced Gazan families — desperate for the ceasefire to hold so they can return to what remains of their homes, and finally begin to mourn what has been lost — are holding their breath..
The Hostages
Whether it be the hostages held in captivity by Hamas and other militant groups in Gaza, their families waiting in unbearable suspense, or the large portion of Israeli society that has adopted the hostages as their own children — all are holding their breath for the nightmare to end, for the day they are returned home.
Palestinian Prisoners
Whether it be the Palestinian prisoners themselves, their families waiting at home or the many Palestinians who have adopted the prisoners as their own — all are holding their breath for their release, many of them after decades behind bars in Israeli jails.
IDF Soldiers
Whether it be the soldiers still stationed in Gaza or their families watching the news nervously — all are holding their breath for the fighting to stop, for clarity after two years of relentless combat, for the promise of homecoming and survival.
Politicians
Whether it be the politicians uncertain how this deal will be perceived — weighing how to spin it as success for themselves or a failure for their adversaries — they, too, are holding their breath, waiting to see how history will judge them.
The Aid Community
Whether it be the aid workers who have waited months to feed the hungry, heal the sick, and begin rebuilding shattered lives — they are holding their breath for the chance to finally do their jobs.
The People Around the World Who Care
Whether it be the countless people around the world who, though far from this place, have tied a part of their identity or their soul to it — they, too, are holding their breath, hoping that this fragile moment might give way to something better.
We are all holding our breath. I wonder whether the land itself is holding its breath along with its people.
The Fearsome Threat That Is Hope
Even though it’s late, the anxiety still lingers — a pressure in my head, a restlessness in my chest, a knot in my stomach. It’s astonishing how frightening hope can be.
Hope — that fearsome force that whispers the future might be better than the present. That stubborn thought that surfaces after heartwrenching breakup, telling you maybe, just maybe, everything could still work out. That irrational human courage that insists on trying again — to find a new path, however improbable.
I’m not proud of it, but a part of me has grown used to the reality of war, to the images of death, to the helpless feeling that nothing I do can change how bad things are. But tonight, as the ceasefire and hostage exchange teeters on the verge of implementation, there’s a real possibility that this chapter of violence might finally end.
A New Chapter — Brought About by a New Approach
Whatever one thinks of the current President of the United States, the diplomatic strategy used by Donald Trump and his team to broker this deal between Israel and Hamas represents a new approach to this war. Trump himself defies precedent; his brand of politics and diplomacy — if one can call it that — breaks every rule in the book.
Skeptical but Hopeful
Time will tell whether this leads to lasting peace, stability, or simply another fragile pause. But for now, he has pulled off an impressive feat — one that may save lives and allow both Israelis and Palestinians in Gaza to begin the long march toward healing.
Truth in the Anxiety?
Setting aside what tomorrow brings — or pretending to, perhaps with the help of a few too many drinks — this hope for a new beginning feels real. And I wonder to myself whether there is truth in this anxiety, this fragile longing for the life that is about to start when tomorrow comes.
They say Tel Aviv is the city that never sleeps.
I don’t know if I’ll be able to sleep tonight.
Like everyone else — I’m holding my breath.
