The National Jewish Assembly (NJA) welcomes the release of 33 hostages held by Hamas for over 460 harrowing days, marking a partial end to a cruel and inhumane ordeal. While we are relieved by their return, we cannot overlook the heinous actions of Hamas and the failure of the international community to bring about a resolution sooner. We must also remember the hostages who remain in Hamas captivity, enduring unimaginable suffering at the hands of their captors.
Hamas’s barbaric behaviour – holding innocent civilians hostage, subjecting them to physical and psychological torture, and using them as bargaining chips – represents a blatant violation of human rights and international law. For over 15 months, these individuals and their families have endured unimaginable pain and uncertainty, a testament to the depravity of Hamas’s ideology and actions.
NJA Chairman Gary Mond stated: “Hamas’s prolonged captivity of Israelis and foreign nationals, some of whom have been murdered, and their use of hostages as pawns underscore their utter disregard for human life. While we rejoice in the release of the captives, it is appalling that it has taken so long for the international community to act with the urgency this crisis deserved.”
The NJA condemns Qatar, Egypt, and other intermediaries for failing to exert sufficient pressure on Hamas to release the hostages earlier. Their role in propping up Hamas through tacit or active support only emboldens its reign of terror. The United States and the United Kingdom, as key players in the global arena, must also be held accountable for not leveraging their influence more effectively to secure the hostages’ freedom far sooner.
The International Red Cross must also face condemnation for its glaring failure to secure access to the hostages or improve their dire conditions. This inaction is sadly emblematic of the ICRC’s long history of impotence, including throughout the Holocaust. The ICRC’s selective attention for Palestinians while neglecting the suffering of the hostages is a damning indictment of its compromised principles.
We commend the Israeli government for negotiating from a position of strength and demonstrating unwavering resolve throughout this ordeal. Despite international criticism and relentless security challenges, Israel’s commitment to securing the safe return of the hostages, while defending itself in a seven-front war, exemplifies its moral and strategic clarity.
While the ceasefire agreement offers a glimmer of hope, the NJA stresses the need for sustained pressure, militarily and diplomatically, on Hamas to end its terrorist activities permanently. We urge the international community to hold Hamas accountable for its atrocities and ensure it is never allowed to use innocent civilians as tools of extortion again.
For further information, please contact the National Jewish Assembly at office@nja.org.uk.
