'International organizations have a shameful record when it comes to the hostages'

01/03/25 • 24 min

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A year has come and gone, and Israel has worn down Hamas and Gaza and decimated the leadership and manpower of Hezbollah, achieving many of its stated objectives since the war began.

But one of the most – if not the most – pressing issue has yet to be solved. One hundred people kidnapped by Hamas and other militants in Gaza remain in captivity, over 450 days later. Each week, their families and supporters protest for their release, pleading for a deal that will see their loved ones come home and the fighting cease. But why hasn't this happened yet, and why do the negotiations keep falling apart?

Haaretz reporter Linda Dayan spoke to Daniel Shek, a former Israeli ambassador and the head of diplomacy for the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, about the negotiations, why the Israeli government won't end the war, the international community's failures and what the future might hold.

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A year has come and gone, and Israel has worn down Hamas and Gaza and decimated the leadership and manpower of Hezbollah, achieving many of its stated objectives since the war began.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Previous Episode

What was it like being Jewish in 2024: Franklin Foer, Masha Gessen, Tony Kushner and more

The turbulent events of 2024 in Israel had a significant impact around the world.

The ongoing war in Gaza and other fronts had a particularly deep and emotional effect on the lives of Diaspora Jews, who coped with angry protests against Israel on campuses and in city centers, and with soaring rates of antisemitic violence.

The new and disturbing environment ignited “a feeling of vulnerability and exile that came back to us,” said Paris Rabbi Delphine Horvilleur, one of the important voices from the Diaspora who joined the Haaretz Podcast over the course of the year.

Excerpts from the conversation between podcast host Allison Kaplan Sommer and Horvilleur, along with insights from interviews with other leading thinkers from the Jewish world like writers Franklin Foer, Ayelet Waldman, and Masha Gessen and award-winning playwright and screenwriter Tony Kushner are featured on this special year-end edition of the podcast.

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'Israelis who served in the IDF will need to think twice about where they travel'

This week, Israel was rocked by the story of a young man who served in Gaza that went on a trip to Brazil – and found himself wanted for questioning for war crimes. He managed to flee the country before he was arrested, but questions remained: What does this mean for soldiers and reservists who fought in the war and want to travel abroad? Is this the new normal?

Haaretz correspondent Linda Dayan spoke to Amir Tibon, a senior writer and columnist for the Haaretz English edition, about efforts by pro-Palestinian groups to track Israelis who saw combat in Gaza and push for their prosecution, unwittingly aided by the soldiers themselves, who posted pictures and videos from the front, against the IDF’s orders.

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