All 20 living Israeli hostages held by Hamas and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel are free as part of a ceasefire in Gaza. But halfway around the world, U.S.-based Jewish and Muslim advocacy groups agree a lot of work remains to achieve lasting peace in the Middle East.
Alan Ronkin, regional director of the American Jewish Committee in D.C., said this is a long-awaited relief for the hostages held since Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages.
“It’s going to take some time to get them back to be themselves, back to their families, and God willing, achieve some sort of a normal life after being through this absolute hell for the past two years,” Ronkin said.
Haris Tarin, vice president of policy and programming with the Muslim Public Affairs Council, said “that the Palestinian people will hopefully be able to breathe again, and that the suffering will stop.”
“The fact that Palestinians in Gaza can actually go back to their homes — even if it’s just rubble — to be able to go back to that rubble,” Tarin said. “So, there is relief, and some room for celebration.”
Yet with Israel’s insistence that Hamas disarm, the likelihood of a permanent peace in the near future is slim.
“We don’t have trust in the Netanyahu government to move forward and stick to its side of the deal,” Tarin said. “So, we just hope the Trump administration and the international community will hold the Netanyahu government accountable, to do what it’s supposed to do.”
Ronkin called recent developments “a potentially historic and pivotal moment in the Middle East — one that could move us toward a better future for Israelis and Palestinians.”
However, “There are unprecedented challenges in the region, but today is a day of hope and a day to focus on the necessity for the work to come.”
Tarin said he believes the road to peace is more straightforward.
“If the occupation leaves, and life is made a little bit more sustainable for the Palestinian people to live side by side with the Israelis, then I think there’s room for lasting peace,” Tarin said. “But, if this peace deal’s just another way to continue the occupation, there’s no road.”
Ronkin was asked whether each side would have to make sacrifices to reach a lasting peace.
“Look, peace is always a matter of compromise, and we’re not there yet.”
“Palestinians also have the right to self-determination and sovereignty, in some way,” Ronkin said. “The idea is, we’ve got to figure out how to do it.”
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