The Dilemma: Save Hostages Now, Risk Lives Later

October 7th will forever be etched into the soul of Israel and the Jewish people—a day of horror beyond comprehension. The sheer brutality of the atrocities committed defies human decency. This was not warfare between soldiers, terrible as that may be. This was unrestrained terror—an indiscriminate massacre of babies, children, teenagers, women, men, and the elderly. No one was spared. The murderers acted with unthinkable cruelty, and their reign of terror did not end with slaughter alone. More than 250 Israelis and foreign workers—many from the kibbutzim and the Nova festival—were dragged into Gaza as hostages. Imagine the anguish of the families left behind, living a nightmare with no end in sight.

The war Intensified
As the war raged on, the cry to bring the hostages home grew louder. Helplessness gnawed at the hearts of their loved ones. The idea of a son, a daughter, a friend suffering in the hell of captivity was unbearable. Protests erupted across Israel, voices filled with desperation, directing their fury toward the government. But the Israeli leadership faced an impossible dilemma: Should they negotiate with terrorists to bring some hostages home?

In November 2023, after more than 50 agonizing days, the first deals were made. Women and children were released—but at a cost. Israel freed prisoners, a trade that, while uneasy, was still acceptable. Meanwhile, the war expanded. Rockets flew from Lebanon, threats emerged from Iran, and the Houthis in Yemen launched attacks. And still, the hostages remained trapped in Gaza.

A cruel Decision
Israel has always vowed never to leave anyone behind—a principle rooted in its very identity. But Hamas would never return the hostages without extracting a price. The government wrestled with a cruel decision: continue the war, crush Hamas, but risk losing the hostages? Or negotiate with murderers and expose Israel’s vulnerability to terror?

In the end, Israel chose to pay the price. More than 1,900 terrorists—including those serving life sentences—were released in exchange for 25 living hostages and the bodies of 8 murdered ones. From a moral standpoint, the deal was justified. But the truth is excruciating: Israel’s morality is its strength—but also its weakness.

And now, we must face the chilling reality. When Yahya Sinwar was freed in a previous prisoner swap, he rose to power and masterminded the October 7th massacre. Now, nearly 2,000 more convicted terrorists walk free. They will strike again. And when they do, what will the government tell the families of future victims? How will they justify the bloodshed that is yet to come?

The Hope/ Hatikva

At least 20 hostages remain in Gaza. The first phase of the deal has ended. The second phase remains uncertain. Whatever decision Israel makes next—whether to continue negotiations or return to war—it will be excruciating. No choice is without consequence. No path is free of pain.

Yet Israel must endure. It must cling to hope—the very essence of its existence. The words of Hatikva, the national anthem, have carried the Jewish people through centuries of struggle:

“As long as deep in the heart, a Jewish soul yearns,
And an eye gazes east toward Zion,
Our hope is not lost—
The hope of two thousand years—
To be a free people in our land,
The land of Zion and Jerusalem.”
And so, Israel fights. Not just for survival, but for the right to hope.