Two Years a Hostage in Gaza

The fate of the 48 Israeli hostages held in Gaza is at the center of decisive negotiations taking place these days in Egypt, two years after the outbreak of the war between Israel and Hamas, according to Israeli media. Hamas has announced that it agrees to release all Israeli hostages - alive and/or dead - in line with the peace plan proposed by Donald Trump, but has not provided a clear response regarding other conditions, such as disarmament and Israeli withdrawal. The negotiations, mediated by the United States, are being held in Egypt, and the outcome could be known by the end of the week. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that if the agreement is not accepted, Israel will resume its military offensive.

• "Hunger, darkness, and fear” - life of the hostages in Gaza

Former Israeli hostages described the conditions of captivity in Gaza as "hell underground,” where they were kept for months in tunnels only a few meters wide, without air, light, or food, according to The Jerusalem Post. Many of them were beaten and deliberately starved. "We counted the grains of rice to divide them equally,” said one of them.

The hostages lived in spaces of just a few square meters, without access to clean water, under constant surveillance. "They starved us intentionally, so the world would see our skeletal bodies,” said another survivor.

• The Gaza War - a new chapter in the conflict

The war between Israel and Hamas began on October 7, 2023, when the Palestinian group launched a surprise attack on southern Israel, killing over 1,200 people and taking hundreds of Israeli hostages, according to international media. Israel responded with massive bombings, a total blockade, and a ground invasion, aiming to destroy Hamas and free the captives.

The conflict quickly turned into a major humanitarian crisis, with tens of thousands of victims and the destruction of much of Gaza. Meanwhile, international protests erupted against the violence in Gaza, while demonstrations in Israel called for the release of the hostages. After a temporary ceasefire in November 2023 and a partial truce in January 2025, fighting resumed, expanding beyond Gaza with attacks from Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Iraq - marking the most extensive regional escalation in decades.

• Decades of unresolved conflicts

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict traces its roots to the early 20th century, with the immigration of Jews to Palestine, then under Ottoman and later British control. The 1917 Balfour Declaration, through which the United Kingdom supported the creation of "a national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine, heightened tensions with the local Arab population.

After World War II, the 1947 UN plan proposed partitioning the territory into two states, but Israel's declaration of independence in 1948 triggered a regional war and the exodus of tens of thousands of Palestinians - the Nakba ("catastrophe”). In 1967, the Six-Day War brought the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Sinai, and Golan Heights under Israeli occupation, deepening territorial disputes.

Since then, Israeli settlements, the status of Jerusalem, and the right of return for Palestinian refugees have remained major points of contention. Two Intifadas - Palestinian uprisings (1987-1993 and 2000-2005) - defined eras of violence and mistrust, halting any real progress toward peace.

• Peace attempts - the Trump plan

Over the decades, multiple peace initiatives have failed due to mistrust and territorial disputes. Currently, the 20-point plan proposed by President Donald Trump aims to secure the release of the hostages, a gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops, the disarmament of Hamas, and temporary international administration of Gaza. Negotiations remain stalled: Hamas refuses disarmament without guarantees, while Israel will not make concessions before all hostages are released.

• Crimes committed by Hamas

Since the outbreak of the conflict, Hamas has been accused of numerous war crimes and serious violations of international humanitarian law, according to Human Rights Watch. The group killed over 1,200 Israeli civilians in the initial attack, kidnapped more than 250 people, and committed atrocities such as rape, torture, executions, and acts of mutilation against victims.

Hamas also launched thousands of unguided rockets toward Israeli cities, deliberately targeting civilians, and used Gaza's civilian infrastructure - including hospitals, schools, and mosques - to hide weapons and leaders. Its use of the population as "human shields,” along with the execution of Palestinian political opponents, reinforced accusations of terrorism and crimes against humanity made by Israel and supported by numerous Western states.

• An endless conflict, a victory without weapons

As diplomats conduct decisive negotiations in Egypt, the hostages' families wait in anguish for a sign of life, while the world's eyes remain fixed on Sharm el-Sheikh, hoping this agreement might finally bring an end to a conflict that has scarred an entire generation.

Although the war has yet to reach its conclusion, one victor seems to have emerged: Gaza, which has dominated the media battlefield.