Israeli Hostage Families’ Desperate Plea to Trump: ‘Time Is Running Out’ for 53 Captives

JERUSALEM—In a heart-wrenching open letter to President Trump, families of the 53 Israeli hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza pleaded for urgent action to secure their release. The letter, shared via Truth Social, underscores the unbearable anguish of over 620 days of captivity, with loved ones enduring unimaginable conditions amid escalating regional tensions.

“Our children, parents, and spouses are trapped in hell,” wrote the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, emphasizing the dire need for intervention as Iranian missiles threaten the region. The families expressed unwavering faith in Trump’s leadership, citing his recent success in securing the release of American-Israeli Edan Alexander, who returned to New Jersey after nearly 600 days in captivity.

The plea comes at a pivotal moment, with the families urging Trump to act while Hamas and its Iranian backers are perceived as vulnerable. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu echoed this sentiment, stating at Soroka Hospital in Be’er Sheva—recently struck by an Iranian missile—that dismantling Iran’s influence is key to weakening Hamas and freeing the hostages. “Hamas relies on Iran,” Netanyahu told reporters, linking Israel’s military efforts against Iran to the hostage crisis.

The war, sparked by Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack that killed over 1,200 people and kidnapped more than 250, has left ceasefire negotiations stalled. Hamas’ refusal to agree to terms remains a significant barrier to the hostages’ release. Meanwhile, Israel’s ongoing operations, including the recovery of two slain hostages’ bodies—Yair Yaakov and Aviv Atzili—highlight the conflict’s devastating toll. Yaakov’s son, Or, released from captivity earlier, paid tribute to his father, vowing to honor his memory through a life of “flow, simplicity, and contentment.”

As the families cling to hope, their letter to Trump is both a cry for help and a call to action, urging the President to leverage his influence to bring their loved ones home.