'Promises aren’t enough!' Families of hostages still held captive by Hamas face 'hard awakening' as Israelis fear 'fragile' ceasefire

Julia Simon, who became close friends with Omer Neutra at the age of 15, learned in early December 2024 that despite initially being thought to be alive in Gaza, he was killed during the attacks on October 7. Neutra's body remains hostage in Gaza.

“I definitely felt a sense of hope and relief seeing the videos of the girls hugging their parents,” Simon said.

“But it didn’t fill me with joy the way the first hostage release in 2023 did. I couldn’t project Omer onto the returning hostages anymore—it felt like they were strangers. And that’s been a really hard awakening. I’m still wrestling with that guilt.”

Simon continued: “Even as a teenager, he was magnetic. He made everyone feel heard and special. That’s who he was—empathetic, goofy, thoughtful. Every memory of him embodies those traits.”

She also said most of her thoughts since October 7 have revolved around the war and Neutra.

“Who will I be when this is all over?” she asked. “What will I think about, dream about, fight for? When time passes, Omer comes home and is buried, and all the hostages return, there’s this fear: who will I become?

“Omer would have gone to the ends of the Earth to protect Israel. That keeps me going. And I remember stories from my grandparents about our homeland, about my great-grandfather kissing the ground when he first arrived in Israel.

“This is the one place on Earth where we are accepted, so that gives me a lot of strength to keep advocating and talking about Omer even if I’m the only one who believes what I believe.”

Efrat Machikawa, who is the niece of the 80-year-old peace activist Gadi Moses, also shared her concerns after Netanyahu brokered a ceasefire deal.

The last sign of Moses was during a harrowing video released by the Islamic Jihad in December 2023, showing him frail but alive.

“We chose to see the video as a blessing—proof he’s alive. But it’s terrifying. This ceasefire is fragile. We’ve learnt the hard way that promises aren’t enough. Until we see and touch him… we just don’t know.”

Machikawa described Moses as a “citizen of the world” who worked across continents to improve agricultural systems.

“He’s a joyful man, with a laugh that makes you want to laugh too. He built bridges between Israelis and Palestinians — employing workers from Gaza and promoting peace. And yet, those same neighbours destroyed his community, murdered his partner, and took him. It’s a moral hell.”

Moses planted a vineyard with three close friends, all of whom were murdered by Hamas terrorists.

Machikawa, who has helped deliver medicine to Gaza and even spoke at the US Congress, continued: “I hope Gadi will soon return to his vineyard, return to making wine, and maybe raise a glass in memory of his three friends who were so brutally taken.”

Despite remaining concerned about the future, Machikawa continues to be hopeful.

She told GB News: “Seeing three hostages return was powerful. But there are still 94 left. I know some will come back as bodies, not people. But even they deserve to be home. Their families deserve closure.”

Like many Israelis, Machikawa has tirelessly petitioned to end the destruction on both sides.

“War has no winners, only losers,” she said, “but this is a time for the light to overcome the darkness. We must end this cycle of violence—not just for Israel and Gaza, but for the world.”

Boaz Atzili is the cousin of Aviv Atzili who was killed and whose body was taken to Gaza on October 7. Atzili’s wife, Liat, was among the hostages released in the first deal in November 2023.

He said: “There was tremendous joy when Liat came back. But the very next day, we were told Aviv would never come home alive. The photos of the recent hostage releases reminded me of this emotional rollercoaster.

“He had more friends than anyone I know. He’d talk to someone for five minutes, and they’d become his best friend.”

Atzili explained how his cousin Aviv was not only a beloved mechanic on the kibbutz but also a talented artist who had begun using scrap metal from his workshop to create intricate miniature sculptures of fields, tractors, and wildlife from the Negev.

Like Machikawa, Atzili also hopes for peace in the region.

He said: “The outrageous violence of October 7 and the destruction in Gaza should lead us to one conclusion: this must be the last Israel-Palestine war. It doesn’t matter if it’s one state, two states, or 200 states—there’s no solution but peace.”

Despite the ceasefire, Atzili warned of forces seeking to undermine it.

He said: “The ceasefire is precarious. Many actors, including Netanyahu, want to thwart it. Netanyahu doesn’t want peace for national security; he’s motivated by his political survival. The world needs to ensure he doesn’t spoil this moment, as he has before.

“Aviv was a peace-loving person. Honouring his memory means finding a solution where people can live side by side in peace.”