October 9th, 2025 – It is with celebration and relief that Partners for Progressive Israel greets the news of an announced agreement to the first phase of an enduring ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, and we watch with anticipation as the Israeli government convenes today to approve the deal, the first phase of which would see the return home of the Israeli hostages held in Gaza as well as of Palestinian detainees held without charge or trial in Israel, amidst the larger release of Palestinian prisoners.
Two years after the horrific Hamas attacks of October 7th, 2023 and the ensuing war of destruction in Gaza, we eagerly await the release of the hostages to their families, and urge world leadership to continue to hold Hamas and the Israeli government accountable to this agreement and ensure a lasting and just peace in the region.
The deal on the table is imperfect, and no single agreement or legislation will allow for the full reckoning and reconciliation required to establish a lasting and just peace, where the rights to safety and self-determination for Israelis and Palestinians are recognized, and the Occupation of Palestinian territories (including the West Bank) and domination of Palestinian people are brought to an end. At the same time, we celebrate alongside the Israelis in Hostage Square and the Palestinian youth in Gaza, who for the first time in two years are experiencing relief and hope for their future. We share in their joy and their hope, alongside a commitment to continue the work for peace, justice, and safety for everyone in the region. This vision will not be realized in a moment, and this deal is a first step towards the future for which we continue to fight every day.
Partners’ Executive Director Rabbi Margo Hughes-Robinson said, “This deal is a victory for the hostage families in Israel and their supporters; popular global movements for peace; the many international bodies who have sought to hold Hamas and this Israeli government accountable for the war crimes perpetrated in the last two years and who have fought for the recognition of the rights of civilians and noncombatants; and most of all the hundreds of thousands of Israelis and Palestinians who have demanded — some at great personal risk — an end to the war and bloodshed and a complete hostage exchange. May these interim days of Sukkot truly be zman simchateinu, the time of our rejoicing.”
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