All the hostages need to be returned home, before it's too late

Before anything else happens, before diplomacy, before rebuilding, before grand visions of the future – the hostages must come home.

The year was 1944. US bombers flew over occupied Poland, striking Nazi targets to weaken Hitler’s war machine. They passed within miles of Auschwitz, the infamous death camp where over a million Jews perished.Survivors later recalled seeing American planes overhead – a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, someone would stop the horrors unfolding inside. But the bombers never turned their sights on the gas chambers.The US military argued that an attack on Auschwitz was “not a priority.” History has not been kind to that decision.Now, we find ourselves in another moment that demands moral clarity and immediate action.Seventy-six Israeli hostages remain in Hamas captivity, trapped in underground tunnels, starving, and abused. The three men released over the weekend – Or Levy, Eli Sharabi, and Ohad Ben Ami – were barely recognizable.Skeletal, sunken, and hollow-eyed, their bodies were a chilling reminder of what happens when the world stands by as evil prevails.

Al-Qassam Brigades hand over Israeli hostages to the Red Cross, as part of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, in Deir al Balah, February 8, 2025. (credit: ABED RAHIM KHATIB/FLASH90)

If this is what 491 days of Hamas captivity looks like, what about the others? What about the children? The elderly? How much time do they have left?

Bold action

US President Donald Trump has never been afraid of bold action. He moved the US Embassy to Jerusalem when others hesitated. He brokered the Abraham Accords against all expectations.

And now, he has put forward the most radical vision yet for the future of Gaza – a US-led takeover, the removal of its Palestinian population, and the promise to rebuild it as a flourishing economy.

But before anything else happens, before diplomacy, before rebuilding, before grand visions of the future – the hostages must come home.

Trump cares about his legacy, and this can be his greatest achievement yet. He has built his reputation on making the impossible happen. The war must end, the hostages must be released, and Israel must move forward. Trump has the power, influence, and credibility to make this happen.

Imagine, Mr. President, if one of your own children were trapped underground. You wouldn’t sleep. You wouldn’t stop until they were free. You would do whatever it takes – calls, pressure, deals, military action – anything to bring them home.

The Israeli families waiting for their loved ones have no power, no influence, no access to world leaders. But you do. And they are pleading with you to act.

Everything else can wait.

America could have ended World War II earlier. US forces could have stopped the Nazis sooner, saving millions of Jewish lives. Instead, indecision and hesitation cost lives.

Mr. President, do not be on the wrong side of history.

The international community has failed the hostages. The UN, which rushes to condemn Israel at every turn, has done nothing to force Hamas to release its captives.

The Red Cross, which regularly visits Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, never saw a single Israeli hostage – because Hamas wouldn’t allow it. And yet, the world remains silent.You are the only one who can change this.

US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, your trusted adviser, has already helped in past negotiations. Now, he must mobilize every diplomatic and financial pressure point available to force Hamas’s hand.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Michael Waltz must ensure that any future discussions on Gaza’s future include a hostage release as a non-negotiable first step.

Mr. President, your voters want strength, leadership, and decisive action. They want this war to end, but they want it on terms that ensure Israel’s security and humanity.

You ended wars before. You stood firm when others faltered. And now, you have another chance to deliver peace, justice, and victory.

There is no greater victory than bringing them home.

There is no greater defeat than leaving them behind.

History will remember what you do next.

Mr. President, history is watching.

The hostages cannot wait. Their families cannot wait. Israel cannot wait.

Your name will be written in history for what happens next. Do not let this moment slip away.

Act now – before it is too late.

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