[ ]J Street[ ]
Friends, 

At times over these past few days, I’ve found it difficult to breathe. 

Watching hostages finally return to their families and Gazans returning
home to scenes of destruction – I’ve been feeling a painful mix of hope
and anxiety, sorrow and relief. 

While the chaotic scenes of the releases have been disturbing, each time I
hear that a hostage has come home to Israeli soil I feel some of the
weight that’s accumulated over the past 16 months lift from my shoulders. 
Meanwhile, friends with family in Gaza have said they’re able to sleep
through the night, without fear of what the morning news may bring.

But even as families are made whole and aid finally reaches Gaza, each day
we see how fragile this deal really is. Hamas is reasserting its control
over the ruins of Gaza and seeking to project strength, raising questions
about their commitment to the agreement. 

There are also those in the Israeli government trying to sabotage this
deal from within and restart this horrific conflict. Extremists in the
settlement movement – inside and outside the government – are throwing
fuel on the fire in the West Bank in an effort to reignite war. 

Trump’s team – whose leverage I believe was crucial in sealing the deal –
will need to hold everyone’s feet to the fire to get every hostage home
and prevent a return to war.

Friend: Together, we need to make the case that it’s in Trump’s
political interest to use the full force of US leverage on both sides to
push them into the next stages of the deal and prevent a return to war,
anguish and devastation.

If you agree, please add your name to our petition:

[ [link removed] ]Tell Washington: Make This Ceasefire Work
[ [link removed] ]We cannot restart this war. Every hostage must come home. We must keep
up the pressure.
[ [link removed] ]Add your name if you agree ✍️

After waiting this long – after enduring this much anguish – we cannot
afford to go back. 

The Trump Administration has made this deal a priority and claimed the
credit for making this deal work. They know it’s good for Israelis and
Palestinians and Americans alike. Nearly every Member of Congress –
Democrat and Republican – continues to reiterate support for the hostage
families.

But we need them to understand that to make this succeed – to get every
hostage home and ensure the ceasefire holds – they will have to refuse to
take no for an answer.

Fringe voices who use the illusion of “total victory” in Gaza as a pretext
for endless war and occupation cannot be allowed to sabotage this deal and
sacrifice the lives of hostages. Each side must be held to account and
pressed to agree to acceptable, if imperfect, outcomes at each stage. Our
leaders will have to work on a bipartisan basis and use the full force of
US power. 

[ [link removed] ]If you agree, please add your name to our petition today >>

In support of all the hostage families and civilians in Gaza, I want to
thank you, sincerely, for your consideration. Together, we have to keep up
the pressure.

Adina Vogel Ayalon
Vice President, J Street


[ [link removed] ]DONATE
[ [link removed] ]Threads [ [link removed] ]Facebook [ [link removed] ]Instagram [ [link removed] ]Twitter
© 2025 J Street | [ [link removed] ]www.jstreet.org | [email protected]

J Street is the political home for pro-Israel, pro-peace, pro-democracy
Americans who want Israel to be secure, democratic and the national home of the
Jewish people. Working in American politics and the Jewish community, we
advocate policies that advance shared US and Israeli interests as well as Jewish
and democratic values, leading to a two-state solution to the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict.



You can unsubscribe from this mailing list at any time:
[link removed]