New York and Nassau County leaders reacted with a wide range of emotions about the reported cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.
American Jewish Committee Long Island Director Eric Post called the cease-fire the beginning of the end of a brutal conflict.
“For the 33 hostages who will be released in the first phase of this agreement, this will mark the end of more than 15 months of brutal captivity at the hands of Hamas,” he said. “Forty-six Americans were among the 1,200 murdered by Hamas on October 7. 12 hostages of the 250 were American and 7 still remain in captivity. Three of them are still believed to be alive. We pray for the immediate return of all the hostages, including the body of Captain Omer Neutra, from Plainview, who was killed on the Gaza border and abducted on October 7.”
The American Jewish Committee released a nationwide statement regarding the release of Israeli hostages as well.
U.S. rep. Tom Suozzi showcased a mix of emotions when discussing the peace agreement.
“Today’s news of a six-week ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas is bittersweet,” Suozzi said. “While I am overjoyed about the potential release of some hostages, I am heartbroken that my constituent Omer Neutra, and so many others, will not return home alive. The Neutra family’s advocacy helped make this deal possible. May his memory continue to be a blessing. I applaud President Biden, President-elect Trump, and their teams for working together to finally get a deal done to release hostages from Gaza. Their collaboration put politics aside to save precious lives.”
There are seven U.S. citizens believed to be held captive by Hamas, three of which may still be alive. Omer Neutra, a Plainview resident who was believed to have been captured on Oct. 7 and reported dead in Dec. of 2024. His body is expected to be returned as part of the agreement. Many community events were held in Neutra’s honor after it had been announced that he had died.
“I am relieved that a ceasefire and hostage release deal has been reached between Israel and Hamas,” U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said in a statement. “I am incredibly grateful for the Biden administration’s tireless pursuit of such a deal and the collaborative and bipartisan approach the Biden administration brought to these final negotiations. Families in Israel can now begin the painful process of healing and rebuilding what Hamas so brutally took from them on October 7, 2023.”
The White House announced the cease-fire agreement on Wednesday, Jan. 15. It called for a halt in fighting while giving Palestinians the opportunity to receive humanitarian aid and the return of hostages, according to a White House statement.
The agreement will be split into three phases. The first phase includes a cease-fire that is expected to begin on Sunday, Jan. 19 and last for 42 days, reports say. During that time, the first 33 hostages are expected to be returned to Israel in exchange for prisoners, and Israeli forces are expected to withdraw from densely-populated areas of Gaza, according to the U.S.
Phases two and three call for further Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and further exchange of hostages between the two sides. The final phase is expected to involve the beginning of a reconstruction plan for the region as well, according to published sources.
