It’s Time to Realize That Only an Immediate Agreement Will Bring Back All the Hostages, and Only Peace Will Ensure Security for All Citizens of the State

Yesterday, the body of Yosef Al-Ziadna from Rahat, who was abducted on the horrific day of October 7, 2023, was returned.

His body was found in one of the tunnels near the corpses of two of his guards, likely indicating that he was killed during Israeli airstrikes. This means the Israeli military is bombing despite knowing that hostages could be killed. There is also a genuine concern for the life of his son, who was abducted with him, but his body has yet to be found.

Since August, the Israeli army, under orders from the Israeli government, has continued with senseless destruction and killing. There are no concrete plans for the return of the hostages or a formal end to the war, despite it having essentially concluded in August.

The most horrific aspect is that the government has abandoned the 100 hostages in Gaza’s tunnels. In the mornings, the military bombards without any purpose, and in the evenings, false promises and misleading rumors are spread about "progress" in negotiations with the Egyptians, Qataris, or Americans. In reality, nothing is happening except for the occasional return of hostage bodies.

Since the founding of the state, Israeli governments throughout generations have been entrenched in wars as their sole solutions for the country's survival and existence. They have not sought alternatives of dialogue or efforts towards peace. Without political solutions, the citizens of Israel are the ones paying the heavy price for this neglect and folly. Israeli citizens continue to bury their children, sacrificing them on the altar of these cruel wars.

It’s time to realize that only an immediate political agreement will bring back the hostages, and only peace will ensure security for all citizens of the state. Out of responsibility and concern for the state’s future, we call on all parties and public organizations to act together and immediately to overthrow the current government through any democratic means possible. It’s time to form a government that will strive for a historic peace agreement, one that will end the relentless bloodshed that has persisted since the state’s establishment.

Written by: Tamim Abu Khait