Map by – Own work, Israeli military presence in Gaza Strip citing Institute for the Study of War & Critical Threats Project (wikipedia.org)
Below is a statement issued this evening by the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati and the Jewish Community Relations Council:
Today’s announcement of a ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas marks a pivotal step forward in addressing one of the most prolonged and devastating conflicts of our time.
This agreement underscores the importance of leadership, collaboration, and unwavering commitment to human dignity and security. But there is more work to be done. We must ensure that all hostages, both living and deceased, are brought home to Israel, allowing families to begin healing, while we continue to advocate for a future of peace, safety, and dignity for all.
Jewish Federations welcome news of a deal to release dozens of hostages, create a framework for releasing all the hostages, and allow Israel a path forward to protect the safety and security of its citizens.
Every day for over 15 months, our community has held the hostages in our hearts, wept for their plight, prayed for their safe return, and mourned for those who we lost.
We’ve held close our Israeli brothers and sisters who have suffered, been displaced, fought in reserves, struggled to keep their businesses afloat, and worked to keep their families and communities alive.
We thank President Biden and President-elect Trump, for their unprecedented coordination to bring both sides together to get a deal done.
There is much work to be done and significant uncertainty ahead, but we are hopeful that the first phase of this agreement will pave the way for the remaining hostages to be reunited with their family, for hostilities to end, and for an era of security and rebuilding for both Israel and her neighbors.
About the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati
The Jewish Federation of Cincinnati envisions an exceptional Cincinnati Jewish community and, through the community-wide strategic plan Cincinnati 2030, brings diverse groups together to build it. We raise money and use a volunteer-driven, transparent process to distribute it to the local, national, and global programs that need it most. We connect our community agencies with the leaders and expertise they need to thrive. And we work to protect Jewish security by educating the community and advocating for Israel. We do all of this to help people in need, create an engaged community, assure our Jewish future, and support the Jewish people in Cincinnati, in Israel, and throughout the world. For more information, please visit jewishcincinnati.org
About the Jewish Community Relations Council
The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) is the non-partisan public affairs arm of the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati. Its mission is to protect Jewish security, recognizing that Jewish security depends on a just society for all. To achieve this mission, it advocates for the local Jewish community through Israel education; fighting antisemitism, discrimination, and racism; and building understanding with other ethnic, religious, and civic organizations. For more information, please visit jewishcincinnati.org/jcrc
Learn more at jewishcincinnati.org.
