POLITICS: Israeli Hostage Families, American Jewish Organizations Welcome Trump’s Gaza Peace Plan – USSA News

American Jewish organizations and Israeli hostage families largely came out in support of US President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza, which he announced on Monday.

The plan, which Israel already accepted and Hamas is currently reviewing, has 20 points — including the release of the Israeli hostages kidnapped by Hamas, the replacement of Hamas as the political administration in Gaza, and the gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops from the war-torn enclave.

Aside from the US and Israel, the proposal has the backing of many Arab and Muslim countries, including Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia. Fatah, the political party that leads the Palestinian Authority, also came out in support of the deal.

In response to the announcement, hostage families in Israel and American Jewish organizations similarly expressed support.

“After almost two years of unimaginable anguish, we stand at a historic turning point,” the Hostage and Missing Families Forum, the main organization of hostage families, posted on X. “We are profoundly grateful to President Trump for his unwavering commitment to our families and the state of Israel, and for achieving what we have been desperately seeking since Oct. 7 – a deal to bring all our loved ones home.”

Hamas-led Palestinian terrorists kidnapped 251 hostages and murdered about 1,200 people during their brutal invasion of and massacre across southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, launching the war in Gaza. Currently, 48 hostages remain in Gaza, 20 of whom are believed to still be alive.

“President Trump has accomplished what many said was impossible. His determination never wavered, even when others lost hope,” the forum added in its statement. “This is a historic agreement that will allow our people to heal, end the war, and chart a new future for the Middle East. We commend Prime Minister Netanyahu for accepting President Trump’s initiative and call on him to immediately order a cessation of fighting in Gaza, which continues to endanger the fate of our hostages.”

The Tikva Forum, which also represents hostage families and is more right-wing politically, also came out in favor of the deal. 

“According to the proposed agreement, Hamas will be defeated and will no longer pose a threat to Israel’s citizens,” it wrote on X. “We believe this is the only path to prevent hostage-taking in the future and ensure the release of our loved ones.”

“At these moments our hearts are with the bereaved families, with the wounded, and with our heroic fighters, whose steadfastness and dedication have created the conditions for an agreement,” the Tikva Forum continued. “However, Israel must continue to stand guard. For as long as these objectives have not been fully achieved, we cannot lay down our arms.”

American Jewish organizations also came out in favor of the deal. 

The American Jewish Committee wrote that it “welcomes Israel’s acceptance of the US plan, as well as the regional Arab and international support outlined by President Trump. The world should be united in ensuring this plan can succeed. It is now up to Hamas to put an end to this violent conflict it started on Oct. 7.”

In addition, the AJC added that they “thank the Trump administration for its sustained leadership in its effort to bring an end to this war that preserves Israel’s security and sees the return of all remaining hostages, and provides a path to long-term durable peace that sees a prosperous future for both Israelis and Palestinians.”

The Jewish Federations of North America said in a statement that they “welcome the deal to release all the remaining hostages and end the war in Gaza announced by President Donald J. Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today.”

“Every day for nearly two years, our community has lived with the pain of knowing our people are suffering in captivity, and watched Israel come under attack as it tried to defend itself from a genocidal terrorist group on its borders,” it continued. “We hope and pray that this deal will come to fruition and bring the remaining hostages home to their families.”

The Anti-Defamation League also wrote that they “commend” the announcement of the plan. 

“We urge governments and people worldwide to use all available levers to pressure Hamas to accept and implement the agreement as soon as possible,” the ADL added.

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which lobbies in favor of the US-Israel relationship, also came out in favor of the plan. “We welcome the announcement today of a plan to end the conflict in Gaza, disarm Hamas, and free the hostages. We appreciate the determined efforts of President Donald Trump and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to help negotiate this plan together with Israel,” AIPAC said in a statement.

“This peace plan has the wide support of the United States, Israel, and several Arab countries. Now the onus is on Hamas to agree to the plan, disarm, and free the hostages who have been brutally held captive in violation of law and basic morality. If Hamas agrees to the implementation of this plan, aid will further surge to Gazan civilians to help ameliorate the humanitarian situation,” the group added.

“Hamas started this war on Oct. 7 with one of the most barbaric assaults imaginable. Since then, the Iranian-backed terror group has proceeded to use Palestinians in Gaza as human shields for its maniacal war against the Jewish state, bringing terrible death, destruction and humanitarian crises to Gaza,” AIPAC said. “American and world leaders must now pressure Hamas to agree to the peace plan and adhere to its terms and implementation.”