For New Yorkers, the news that the war in Gaza that sparked division, anger and violence across the city might be close to an end sparked relief and joy — but also concern about what comes next.
Hopeful New Yorkers joined leaders and citizens across the world in praise of a long-awaited ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas that would end more than a year of bitter bloodshed in the turbulent Middle East.
“It is welcome news that there is an agreement that will free many of the hostages,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said in a statement. “A ceasefire is very good news for Israel, for America, for the Palestinian people and particularly for the hostage families who have waited so long in agony
“A ceasefire will reduce violence in Gaza and harm to innocent civilians. It couldn’t have happened without steadfast diplomacy and until the potency of Hamas was radically reduced.”
Few were more hopeful about the agreement than the families of kidnapped hostages.
“We are overjoyed for the families who will soon reunite with their loved ones,” New York City resident Moshe Lavi, whose brother-in-law Omri Miran was kidnapped when the war started Oct., 7, 2023, said in a statement.
“But the work does not stop here. We must continue to fight tirelessly for the freedom of those still held captive, both in Israel and through advocacy efforts worldwide. Their lives and futures depend on our unwavering commitment to bringing them back safely. The world must not look away until every single hostage is free.”
Lavi pointed out that Miran, who is 47, is not expected to be in the first wave of hostages who are released, which reportedly will include women, children and men over age 50, plus the wounded and sick.
Lavi, a native of Sderot, Israel, is a former captain in the Israel Defense Forces. He now works as a management consultant in New York.
Meanwhile, the New York City chapter of the Palestinian Youth Movement, which participated in college protests last spring, hailed the news as signaling the possible end to what it condemned as a “US-backed genocide” in Gaza.
“With the announcement of a ceasefire, over 2 million Palestinians have finally received the news that they have so steadfastly been waiting for,” the group said. “Nearly 500 days into Israel’s relentless, US-backed genocide of the Palestinian people, we breathe a sigh of relief that the people of Gaza may sleep peacefully at night without living in constant fear of death. The United States government could have ended this genocide 15 months ago.”
Even though there was skepticism in some circles, particularly over the planned pace of hostage release — which reportedly could see only a few Israeli hostages set free each week and stretch out over three phases — many were happy that this day had finally arrived.
Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), the most senior Jewish member of Congress, gave credit to President Biden — not Donald Trump, despite his claims — for helping achieve the progress.
“I welcome the news of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and deeply thank President Biden and his administration for their tireless efforts to reach this point,” Nadler said in a statement.
“As President Biden pointed out, it is noteworthy that the same plan that President Biden outlined publicly in May served as the blueprint for this agreement. It is clear that without his efforts, this agreement would not have been possible.
“We must ensure that all the hostages return home,” Nadler added, “that there is a true cessation of hostilities, that sufficient humanitarian assistance is surged to the people of Gaza, the return of the displaced to their homes in both southern Israel and Gaza, and achievement of long-term stability for all in the region. These are necessary steps in pursuit of a larger lasting peace, achievable only through a negotiated two-state solution.
“The news of this agreement also provides an opportunity to reflect on the period since October 7, the deadliest day in Jewish history since the Holocaust. The past 15 months have been excruciating for many. As a Zionist and a deeply committed Jew, the events of October 7 and the ensuing war has never been far from my mind. I have mourned for the innocent lives lost, the dire conditions for civilians in Gaza, and the families uprooted from their homes. My prayer is that today’s announcement is a beginning of a new period — one that realizes the vision articulated in the Book of Isaiah, that ‘nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.’”