Media Statement from The South African Zionist Federation
The South African Zionist Federation welcomes with deep relief and heartfelt hope the news that an agreement has been reached for Hamas to release all remaining hostages in Gaza, twenty believed to be alive and forty-eight in total, and to bring the war to an end. After more than two years of anguish, fear, and longing since the atrocities of October 7 2023, the prayers of Israel and the Jewish people are finally being answered.
For just over two years since that day of horror, Israel and the Jewish world have carried an unbearable weight. Families have lived in anguish, a nation has grieved, and our collective conscience has refused to rest until every captive was returned. Today, that long-awaited moment of redemption is finally near.
We honour the extraordinary courage of the hostage families who refused to surrender hope, and we pay tribute to the people of Israel who have endured unimaginable pain yet held firm to the principle that every life matters and no one is left behind.
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We also honour the courage and sacrifice of Israel’s soldiers, who fought and fell with the sacred mission of defending their people from an ongoing genocidal threat and restoring the captives. Their bravery and devotion made this moment possible, and their memory will forever be a blessing to Am Yisrael.
It is deeply painful that this agreement includes the release of Palestinian terrorists who have committed heinous crimes, but it stands as a stark reminder of the price Israel is willing to pay for the sanctity of life. The redemption of captives — pidyon shvuyim — is one of the highest principles in Judaism, and this agreement reflects the moral and spiritual foundation of the Jewish State, which will go to extraordinary lengths to bring its sons and daughters home.
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The SAZF extends its deepest thanks to President Donald J. Trump for his remarkable leadership and relentless diplomacy in brokering this historic agreement, and to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his steadfast determination to bring Israel’s children home while safeguarding the nation’s future. Their shared resolve has delivered a moment that will be remembered for generations.
As reported, the deal forms the first phase of a broader peace plan, including the release of all hostages in exchange for Israeli troop withdrawal to agreed lines and the freeing of nearly 1,950 Palestinian terrorists in prison, with humanitarian aid to follow. Further stages of the plan have yet to be finalised, and Israel’s security and moral imperatives must continue to guide every step forward.
This is a day of both triumph and mourning — triumph that life and light have prevailed over terror, and mourning for those who did not return. Their memory will forever sanctify this moment of justice and release.
To the people of Israel, to the freed captives, to the soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice, and to the families who never stopped believing: Am Yisrael Chai. May this day mark the beginning of healing, strength, and peace.
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