Quiet, For Now

The ceasefire, the hostages, and a book I couldn’t announce because it was Yom Tov

I spent the first two days of Sukkot offline. We lit candles, made Kiddush, stepped into the sukkah, and let the noise fade. Then I came back to an announcement many of us have begged to hear: Israel and Hamas agreed to the first phase of a ceasefire and hostage deal. President Trump said both sides signed off, with all hostages to be released “very soon” and the IDF to pull back to an agreed line inside Gaza, the so-called yellow line. Israeli officials say 48 hostages remain; they believe roughly 20 are alive. The plan sets a 72-hour window for releases once the ceasefire clock starts. That is what I am watching.

The streets responded the way people do after two years of war. In Tel Aviv and in Gaza there were cheers, car horns, and tears. Relief walked beside suspicion. Everyone has seen a “ceasefire” turn into a staging break. There’s even an old Israeli quip that goes something like, “We cease, they fire.” It’s a bit like Lucy, Charlie, and the football. Even with the deep skepticism, there is optimism—cautiously guarded though it may be. Finally, we’re all counting the hours until the hostages get back home.

This deal is phase one of a larger American plan. Some details are public. The IDF withdraws to the yellow line within 24 hours of cabinet approval. Hamas hands over the living hostages together after the pause takes hold. Israel increases aid flows. Then we hit the hard questions: who governs Gaza the day after, who keeps Hamas away from power, and who stops the re-armers who always show up when cameras leave. The draft framework even floats an international “Board of Peace” chaired by Trump, with Tony Blair on the roster. Hamas rejects foreign governance. The “Palestinian Authority” says it wants in, but only after “reforms.” Israelis hear the word “reforms” and reach for the aspirin. It’s an old song at this point.

Reports say the exchange will include large numbers of “Palestinian” inmates, including lifers once considered off-limits. Hamas’s wish list reportedly features Marwan Barghouti and Ahmed Saadat. Israel has made ugly trades before to bring our people home. We made one for Gilad Shalit in 2011. It saved a life. It also freed men who returned to terror. The head of Shin Bet later put recidivism among released terrorists at 82 percent. I will never apologize for wanting hostages back. I will also not pretend the cost comes due only on paper.

We will welcome this pause if it brings our people home. Israel seeks quiet, freedom of movement, and a future for Jewish kids who deserve to sleep without sirens. However, we cannot unlearn what Hamas does with breathing space. Hamas seeks Jewish submission and calls it liberation. Iran arms the project. “Pro-Palestinian” mobs in Western capitals chant for intifada and mask vandalism as virtue.

Now a personal note. My new book, Holiday From History: The West’s Delusion of Peace and the Return of War, published on October 7. I didn’t post about it for two days because it was Yom Tov. First day Sukkot on Tuesday, second day on Wednesday in the diaspora.

The book argues for moral clarity without euphemism. Peace is not the default state of the human condition. It is built, defended, and renewed. Though, of course we neither want nor are in a permanent war; however, we must refuse to lie about what we face. If you want the fuller case, you can read it now. The hardcover, ebook, and paperback are live. Order it wherever you buy books. If you prefer a direct link, here you go: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FT8YSM7M

Back to the thing that matters most. May the buses and helicopters roll on time. May the Red Cross convoys not stall. May families grip hands at hospital doors today, not next week. Reports say the clock starts when the cabinet gives the final nod and the army steps back to the line. If that sequence holds, we’ll see faces many of us have prayed for. I want that, fiercely. So does every decent person you know.

I will not pretend a ceasefire is peace. It is a comma. If the enemy uses it to reload, Israel will act. If it brings the hostages home and clears space to sideline Hamas and keep rockets buried, we will breathe and build. Either way, we stand our ground and keep our eyes open.

Chag sameach to those of you who know what a sukkah is. Refuah and strength to the wounded. May we greet our people with songs, not sirens.