TEL AVIV, Israel — The past fortnight has seen notable shifts in the ongoing political dynamics surrounding the potential for a cease-fire in Gaza. Events such as the American elections, the dismissal of Israel’s widely respected defense minister, Qatar’s decision to step back from its mediating role, and the conflict unfolding in Lebanon have seemingly diminished the chances of achieving a cease-fire in Gaza—now further away than it has been in more than a year.
Despite these setbacks, some families of the hostages still held in Gaza remain hopeful that these changes might generate renewed efforts to secure the return of their loved ones. The implications of Donald Trump’s possible return to the White House and the appointment of a new hard-line defense minister in Israel are yet to be fully understood. Varda Ben Baruch, grandmother of Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander, 20, expressed a lingering sense of hope, stating, “I think maybe there is new hope.”
Edan, who was abducted from his base during the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, has parents—Adi and Yael Alexander—who reside in New Jersey. They recently met with both Trump and President Joe Biden in Washington, imploring them to collaborate in bringing the hostages home via a comprehensive agreement. “As a grandmother, I say, cooperate—Trump wants peace in this region, and Biden has always said he wants to release the hostages,” Ben Baruch urged. However, she shared that neither president provided any specific plans for hostage release or rekindling negotiations for a cease-fire.
Negotiations have stalled in recent months, primarily due to Hamas’s insistence on obtaining certainty that a complete hostage release would result in the cessation of Israel’s military operations in Gaza. Simultaneously, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains committed to continuing military actions until Hamas is fully dismantled and stripped of its capacity to rearm. “We’re not concerned with politics, neither American nor Israeli,” Ben Baruch emphasized. “The families are above politics; we simply want our loved ones home. Edan was taken because he is Jewish, not due to any political affiliation.”
Over 250 hostages were taken captive, and an estimated 1,200 individuals were killed during the assault by Hamas militants on southern Israeli communities. In retaliation, Israel’s military operations have reportedly resulted in the deaths of over 43,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, with around 90% of the 2.3 million residents in Gaza displaced.
During the brutal onslaught on October 7, Edan Alexander managed to send a brief message to his mother amid chaotic fighting at his base. He informed her that, despite sustaining shrapnel damage to his helmet from the explosions, he had successfully reached a secure area. After 7 a.m., however, the family lost all contact with him.
Initially classified as missing, the family embarked on a frantic search at various hospitals. After five days, they unexpectedly spotted him in a video capturing Hamas militants seizing soldiers. “We were relieved he was alive,” Ben Baruch recounted, “But we had no idea of the ordeal we were about to face and what continues to unfold.”
A week-long cease-fire last November had reportedly seen the release of 105 hostages in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners. Some of the returned hostages claimed to have seen Edan during their captivity, noting that he maintained composure and encouraged them that their release would happen soon. However, Ben Baruch experienced disappointment when Netanyahu dismissed Defense Minister Yoav Gallant last week. She had perceived Gallant as a supportive ally who prioritized the issue of hostages.
“I felt he was someone we could rely on,” she stated, noting that Gallant’s successor is a Netanyahu loyalist who is advocating for a stricter stance against Hamas. Meanwhile, a mass protest movement, once vibrant in demanding hostage resolutions, appears to be losing momentum, making it increasingly difficult for families of the hostages to keep their plight in the public eye. Last Thursday, a group of former hostages and their relatives met with the Pope, seeking hope from both the incoming and outgoing U.S. administrations in their quest for loved ones.
In Tel Aviv’s Hostage Square, the epicenter of the protest movement, sentiments regarding Trump’s election varied. “I don’t think this is good for Israel or the hostages; I’m really afraid of him,” remarked David Danino, a 45-year-old tech worker from Tel Aviv. Accompanied by visiting family from France who wished to pay their respects, Danino questioned the narrative of victory being promoted, asserting that achieving military objectives holds little meaning without the return of hostages.
Conversely, others felt that Trump’s decisive nature could be advantageous. “When he sets out to achieve something, he does it wholeheartedly, and he can make ultimatums,” said Orly Vitman, a 54-year-old former special education teacher from Holon. Despite her opposition to Gallant’s dismissal, she expressed optimism about Trump’s influence, noting that his election may provide the legitimacy and means to exercise full force in negotiations.
Ben Baruch, a philanthropist and renowned artist whose modern sculptures adorn her home in Tel Aviv, has set aside her artistic endeavors to focus exclusively on efforts to secure her grandson’s release. Her days are consumed by meetings, interviews, protests, and community prayer gatherings that unite diverse Israeli groups. “It feels as if everyone has returned to their daily lives, while ours remains in disarray,” she lamented. “There is nothing more to say; all the discussions have been exhausted. We have met everyone, yet Edan and others remain captive.”