Israeli hostage families plead as peace falters; Gaza war grinds on

TEL AVIV — Families of hostages held by Hamas pleaded for their loved ones as a U.S.-brokered peace plan faltered and the Gaza war stretched into its second year. On Day 700 of captivity, relatives described the emotional toll and pressed for government action. The families say 48 people remain in captivity, with about 20 believed alive, and they urged leaders to secure a path to release for those who have endured nearly two years of confinement.

Early in their stay there was hope a new peace plan from the United States might gain traction. The proposal would have released all 48 hostages in exchange for 3,000 Palestinian prisoners and a cease-fire to assess next steps. That plan took hits left, right and center. Two gunmen opened fire on a busy Jerusalem bus and bus stop, killing six and injuring many more. The next morning, while a Fox News team conducted routine live reporting from a Tel Aviv hotel balcony, Israel conducted a strike against Hamas leadership in Doha, Qatar. Militants claimed they were discussing the peace plan at the time. The plan's collapse dashed hopes for a quick end to the hostage crisis. Keith Siegel, a hostage himself for close to 500 days, remained articulate and sought help beyond government channels, saying, "I call upon Trump to continue his efforts."

The violence and diplomacy intertwined as the fighting broadened. Israel launched a full-scale ground invasion of Gaza City, a move the government framed as a final push against Hamas forces and infrastructure, with the aim of finishing off some 3,000 remaining fighters and their networks. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has framed the campaign as a continuation of the war’s anchor event: what started in Gaza in October would end in Gaza. The operation marked a shift from limited strikes to a concerted effort to seize control of dense urban terrain.

IDF Chief of the General Staff LTG Eyal Zamir conducted a field tour in the Gaza Strip, underscoring the military focus on operations inside the territory. The pace and scope of the fighting have limited reporting access, and the camera teams have relied on local journalists to document the destruction, the displacement, and the toll on civilians. What has emerged from the rubble are images of a city carved into a lunar-like landscape, with homes and neighborhoods scarred by bombardments and slow-moving ground advances.

Civilians remain a central concern as the conflict deepens. Gazan health officials allied with Hamas have said that tens of thousands of people have died in the two-year war, a figure that has grown steadily as the combat shifts to urban centers. International observers have urged restraint and emphasize the need to protect civilians, while military officials describe careful checks to minimize harm to noncombatants even as they press forward with the operation. The tension between military objectives and humanitarian costs has become a defining feature of daily life for people in Gaza and the surrounding region.

Analysts caution that the Gaza City operation could extend for months. Officials say the city’s dense neighborhoods, tunnels, and civilian presence will complicate efforts to achieve strategic goals quickly. Morale among reservists on the front lines has been described as strained, and the humanitarian toll is shaping political and diplomatic calculations at home and abroad. In Tel Aviv and other capitals, voices have grown louder for a meaningful mediation role for outside actors, with leaders and influencers from various corners of the world being cited as potential interlocutors to halt the fighting or at least halt the worst humanitarian impacts.

Between live shots and daily reporting, the team observes life outside the battlefield. In the city’s seaside districts, residents continue to visit bars and restaurants and carry on with daily routines despite the constant undercurrent of war—an illustration of a society attempting to function under extraordinary stress. The backdrop of this conflict is not only military but cultural and social, as Israelis and Palestinians alike grapple with the long-term consequences of a war that has persisted far longer than many anticipated.

In one scene from Gaza City, a Gazan family walked near the rubble of buildings during Eid al-Adha, a reminder of both faith and endurance amid the destruction. The image underscored the human dimension of a conflict that has displaced hundreds of thousands and left many residents with limited options for shelter, healthcare, or reliable electricity and water. The broader international community has voiced concern about the humanitarian situation, but concrete steps toward a sustainable political resolution remain elusive.

As the war grinds on, sources in Tel Aviv, Gaza, and European capitals continue to monitor every shift in leverage, from battlefield developments to diplomatic overtures. There is frustration about stalled peace talks and a sense that, despite courageous reporting and innumerable appeals for restraint, there is no immediate breakthrough in sight. For hostages’ families and for residents of Gaza, each day of fighting compounds fear for the future and uncertainty about the road ahead.

The reporting team will continue to track the evolving military operations and the humanitarian response, with attention to how international mediation efforts, political pressure, and battlefield realities shape the human costs of this protracted conflict. The situation remains fluid, and authorities on the ground warn that the risks to civilians will persist as the campaign continues.