Romi, Emily and Doron are back home 🎗️ Breaking down the hostage deal

Yesterday morning, at 11.15 am Israel time, the long-anticipated hostage deal came into effect, accompanied by a ceasefire set to last 42 days. The terms of the agreement are as astonishing as they are heart-wrenching: 33 Israeli hostages will be exchanged for 1.904 Palestinian prisoners, including terrorists serving life sentences. A figure that leaves the Israeli population holding its breath.

Yesterday at 4.00 pm, the first three hostages came back home: Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari finally came back to Israel 471 days after being taken hostage.

Crowd at the Tel Aviv Hostages Square waiting for the first 3 female hostages to be released.

Over the coming weeks, the release schedule will unfold in calculated increments, dictated by a cold, transactional logic: the 7th day of the deal will see the release of 4 hostages, the 14th, 21st, 28th, and 35th day of 3 hostages, and the final week, 14 hostages will be released, including Hisham al-Sayed and Avera Mengistu.

Yet, for every hostage returned, a staggering number of prisoners, including terrorists serving life sentences, will walk free. This is the cruel arithmetic of our reality. The exchange rate itself is chilling, quantifying lives and sacrifices in stark terms: 30 young or female prisoners for a child hostage, 30 prisoners for an elderly one, and an unthinkable 1.000 detainees for the bodies of hostages who may never breathe again.

The deal started with an almost 3 hours delay that underscored the precariousness of the situation. Hamas failed to share the names of the hostages on time, dragging out an already agonizing process.

A fractured peace

This deal is not without profound risks. The released prisoners, many of whom will return to Gaza, the West Bank, or East Jerusalem, pose a renewed threat to Israeli lives. History has shown us that the path from prisoner to active terrorist is alarmingly short. The potential for future attacks, for more heartbreak, looms large.

Other concessions deepen this sense of unease. The IDF’s withdrawal from the Gaza perimeter, the reopening of the Rafah crossing, and the cessation of aerial intelligence activity for 10 hours a day all provide breathing room for an adversary that has repeatedly demonstrated its willingness to exploit such opportunities.

Choosing life

Despite the anguish and uncertainty, this deal is rooted in a deeply Israeli principle: the sanctity of life. Each hostage represents a world unto themselves, and their return, however fraught, is a testament to Israel’s collective humanity.

As we navigate the coming weeks, let us hold space for the families awaiting news, for the soldiers who continue to defend our borders, and for the fragile threads of hope that bind us together.