Many Jewish leaders are “cautiously optimistic” about the peace plan between Israel and Hamas that President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday.
Both parties agreed to the “first phase” of an agreement to end the two-year war in Gaza and bring home the dozens of remaining hostages held since Oct. 7, 2023. Hamas will likely release all 20 of the remaining hostages on Monday or Tuesday and Israel will partially withdraw from Gaza per the deal, according to Trump.
The Israeli government ended up voting early on Friday to approve “the framework for the release of all of the hostages — the living and the deceased,” according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.
Bereaved families will be able to bring home the remains of the hostages who were killed, and living hostages will reunite with their loved ones.
“For two years, our hearts have ached alongside the families of the captives,” a statement by the Jewish Federations of North America read. “We have prayed, rallied, and spoken their names, refusing to let the world forget them. Today, our prayers have been answered — not completely, for the pain of loss remains — but with the long-awaited promise of healing, renewal, and hope.”
“Our hearts remain with the hostages and their families, who have been living in a nightmare and fighting to be reunited with their loved ones,” a statement by Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, read. “We hold our breath until all of them, living and deceased, are returned home.”
“While not a full peace agreement, it is the first and necessary step toward stopping the death and suffering as the hostages come home, the IDF pulls back, long-serving reservists return to their families, and innocent Gazan civilians caught in the crossfire can finally experience a modicum of safety and receive a consistent flow of vitally needed humanitarian aid,” a statement by the Reform Jewish Movement read. “The pain and grief of this war will not soon heal, but seeing our hostages finally embraced by their families will fill our aching hearts.”
“We are grateful to President Trump and his team for their unrelenting pursuit of peace and skillful achievement of this deal; their moral clarity in supporting the good of Israel and their commitment to the eradication of the evil of Hamas; and their determination to achieve freedom for all the hostages and a lasting peace for the region,” the Orthodox Union said in a statement. “We are prayerful that the deal produces its desired result; that the living hostages are restored to physical and emotional health in the embrace of their families and that the families of all the deceased somehow find healing; that the heroic soldiers of Tzahal and their families can begin the return to normalcy; that the unrepentant terrorists being released by Israel be prevented from returning to their destructive ways; and that the Palestinians seize the opportunity to finally reject violence and hate and truly embrace peace with Israel, allowing them to ensure a glorious future for their children and ours.”
Other organizations, including AIPAC, remembered the 1,200 people killed in Israel on Oct. 7.
“We celebrate this moment even as we mourn the innocent lives that have been lost because of Hamas’ savagery,” AIPAC’s statement read.
“This cease-fire must be the first step toward rebuilding Gaza and ultimately working toward a two-state solution,” a statement by the Jewish Democratic Council of America read.
“After 734 days, this comprehensive agreement ushers in a new dawn for the Middle East, reaffirms the unbreakable alliance between the United States and Israel, and advances trailblazing opportunities for expanding the circle of peace throughout the region,” the Republican Jewish Coalition said in a statement.
“This agreement is a vital first step toward lasting peace, but immense work remains to turn this fragile beginning into a durable resolution of this conflict,” the nonprofit organization J Street wrote in a statement.
Jewish leaders expressed gratitude to Trump and his administration for his role in brokering the deal, even those who do not necessarily agree with all of the president’s policies.
“It should never have taken this long — but today, hope is finally becoming reality,” Ambassador Ronald S. Lauder, the president of the World Jewish Congress, wrote in a statement. “This agreement marks a turning point. Hamas must now be disarmed and excluded from any future role in Gaza. Only then can there be lasting peace and security for Israel and for the region.”
