ZOA Celebrates Hostage Deal; Warns ‘Euphoria’ Must Not Come At Expense Of Later Points - Hamas’s Disarmament & Removal

Klein shared: 

“The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) celebrates the long-awaited return of Israeli hostages, calling it a moment of profound relief for their families and the entire Jewish nation. However, the brokered deal is dangerously lopsided and while President Trump and his administration deserve praise for their tireless efforts to secure the hostages’ release, the now phased deal – without firm enforcement of the later points in Trump’s plan – risks repeating the deadly mistakes of the past. Just as the 2011 release of Yahya Sinwar led to the October 7th attack, freeing nearly 2,000 Palestinian Arab terrorists – many convicted murderers and terror attack planners – risks reigniting the cycle of terror.

While the deal brings the hostages home and ends two years of bloodshed in Israel and Gaza and as drafted states Hamas will be disarmed, dismantled and no longer play a role in governance, Hamas and its allies within the group of mediators have already started either outwardly pushing back or playing word games on both points. The deal therefore does in fact leave Hamas intact as both a military threat and a central force in Palestinian national aspirations. Without continued U.S. pressure – including the credible threat of renewed Israeli military operations – Hamas will retain its power and weapons, both Hamas and Fatah will continue radicalizing and arming Arabs in Judea, Samaria and Gaza. This ongoing pattern ensures that unless addressed, another devastating attack and full-scale war is only a matter of time.

The President genuinely seeks to bring lasting peace to Israel and the region, but the administration – and the world – must not get caught in the euphoria of the newly branded “first phase” and begin with dismantling Hamas, ending Fatah’s radicalization of new generations of Arabs and launching a serious effort to demilitarize and de-radicalize the Arab population in Judea, Samaria and Gaza. The administration’s executive order shielding Qatar – while failing to demand the extradition of Hamas and other terror leaders living in Doha – effectively turns the terror-financing emirate into a protected haven for Islamist terrorists.

We are deeply grateful for the hostages’ return, but the hostage and prisoner swap alone will not truly bring peace to Israel and her neighbors.”