Internewscast Journal
  • Home
  • US News
  • Local News
  • Health
  • People
  • Guest Post
  • Support Our Cause
Internewscast Journal
  • Home
  • US News
  • Local News
  • Health
  • People
  • Guest Post
  • Support Our Cause
Home Local news Families of Gaza Hostages Hope for Ceasefire Following Israel-Iran Truce
  • Local news

Families of Gaza Hostages Hope for Ceasefire Following Israel-Iran Truce

    The families of hostages held in Gaza hope for their own ceasefire after truce in Israel-Iran war
    Up next
    College campuses could be ground zero for Iranian sleeper cells plotting to harm Americans, experts warn
    Experts Warn: Iranian Sleeper Cells on College Campuses Could Threaten Americans
    Published on 26 June 2025
    Author
    Internewscast
    Tags
    • After,
    • Benjamin Netanyahu,
    • Ceasefire,
    • Donald Trump,
    • families,
    • for,
    • Gaza,
    • held,
    • HOPE,
    • hostages,
    • IsraelIran,
    • Liran Berman,
    • OWN,
    • Religion,
    • The,
    • their,
    • truce,
    • war,
    • world news,
    • Ziv Berman
    Share this @internewscast.com
    FacebookXRedditPinterest

    OR AKIVA – For 629 days, Liran Berman has faced despair as his twin brothers have been held captive in Gaza. Attempts at ceasefire agreements have failed, the conflict has extended, and his brothers remain as hostages within the Palestinian region.

    However, new developments in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, along with a U.S.-mediated ceasefire that paused 12 days of warfare, have reignited Berman’s hope that his brothers, Gali and Ziv, might soon be freed.

    Iran has suffered significant setbacks due to nearly two weeks of intense Israeli attacks. Berman hopes that this situation leaves Hamas, supported by Iranian funds and arms, more isolated than ever since the conflict in Gaza started. This could lead to the militant group reconsidering its stance in negotiations.

    “Now it’s the time to pressure them and tell them, look, you are on your own. No one is coming to your help. This is it,” Berman said. “I think the dominoes fell into place, and it’s time for diplomacy to reign now.”

    A long nightmare for the families of hostages

    During their Oct. 7, 2023, attack, Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people and took 251 hostages. Most have been freed in ceasefire deals, but 50 remain captive, less than half of them believed to still be alive.

    The war has killed over 56,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not say how many were civilians or combatants. It says more than half of the dead were women and children.

    The families of hostages have faced a 20-month-long nightmare, trying to advocate for their loved ones’ fates while confronted with the whims of Israeli and Hamas leaders and the other crises that have engulfed the Middle East.

    Israel’s war with Iran, the first between the two countries, pushed the hostage crisis and the plight of Palestinian civilians in Gaza to the sidelines. Hostage families again found themselves forced to fight for the spotlight with another regional conflagration.

    But as the conflict eases, the families are hoping mediators seize the momentum to push for a new ceasefire deal.

    “The achievements in Iran are important and welcome, enabling us to end the war from a position of strength with Israel holding the upper hand,” said the Hostages Families Forum, a grassroots organization representing many of the hostage families.

    “To conclude this decisive operation against Iran without leveraging our success to bring home all the hostages would be a grave failure.”

    Netanyahu may have more room to maneuver

    It’s not just a diminished Iran and its impact on Hamas that gives hostage families hope. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, riding a wave of public support for the Iran war and its achievements, could feel he has more space to move toward ending the war in Gaza, something his far-right governing partners oppose.

    Hamas has repeatedly said it is prepared to free all the hostages in exchange for an end to the war in Gaza. Netanyahu says he will only end the war once Hamas is disarmed and exiled, something the group has rejected.

    Berman said the ceasefire between Israel and Iran has left him the most optimistic since a truce between Israel and Hamas freed 33 Israeli hostages earlier this year. Israel shattered that ceasefire after eight weeks, and little progress has been made toward a new deal.

    The Israeli government team coordinating hostage negotiations has told the families it now sees a window of opportunity that could force Hamas to be “more flexible in their demands,” Berman said.

    Iran’s ‘Axis of Resistance’ is in disarray

    Over the past four decades, Iran built up a network of militant proxy groups it called the “ Axis of Resistance ” that wielded significant power across the region, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthi rebels in Yemen, and militias in Iraq and Syria.

    Hamas may have envisioned the Oct. 7, 2023, attack as a catalyst that would see other Iranian-sponsored militants attack Israel. While Hezbollah and the Houthis launched projectiles toward Israel, the support Hamas had counted on never fully materialized. In the past two years, many of those Iranian proxies have been decimated, changing the face of the Middle East.

    U.S. President Donald Trump’s involvement in securing a ceasefire between Israel and Iran has also given many hostage families hope that he might exert more pressure for a deal in Gaza.

    “We probably need Trump to tell us to end the war in Gaza,” Berman said.

    Inseparable twins who remain in captivity

    Gali and Ziv Berman, 27, were taken from their homes in Kibbutz Kfar Aza, on the border with Gaza, during the Oct. 7 attack. Seventeen others were also abducted there; of those, only the Berman twins remain captive.

    The family has heard from hostages who returned in the previous deal that, as of February, the brothers were alive but being held separately.

    Liran Berman said that’s the longest the two have ever spent apart. Until their abduction, they were inseparable, though they are very different, the 38-year-old said.

    In Kfar Aza, the twins lived in apartments across from each other. Gali is more outgoing, while Ziv is more reserved and shy with a sharp sense of humor, their brother said. Gali is the handyman who would drive four hours to help a friend hang a shelf, while Ziv would go along and point to where the shelf needed to go.

    The war with Iran, during which Iranian missiles pounded Israeli cities for 12 days, gave Liran Berman a sense of what his brothers have endured as bombs rained down on Gaza, he said.

    “The uncertainty and the fear for your life for any moment, they are feeling it for 20 months,” he said. “Every moment can be your last.”

    ___

    Follow AP’s war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war

    Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

    Share this @internewscast.com
    FacebookXRedditPinterest
    You May Also Like
    DHS: Humanitarian parole fees jump to $1,000 per immigrant
    • Local news

    Breaking News: DHS Hikes Humanitarian Parole Fees to $1,000—What This Means for Immigrants

    HARLINGEN, Texas (Border Report) — The Department of Homeland Security has introduced…
    • Internewscast
    • October 21, 2025
    ‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You’ explores a mother’s existential crisis
    • Local news

    ‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You’ Delves into a Mother’s Profound Existential Journey

    Occasionally, the most compelling movies are those that defy simple explanations, resisting…
    • Internewscast
    • October 22, 2025
    Escaped inmate captured after jumping out of jail transport van
    • Local news

    Escaped Inmate Recaptured After Daring Leap from Jail Transport Van

    A man described as a serious violent felon is once again in…
    • Internewscast
    • October 22, 2025
    Clearwater police remove 5-foot boa constrictor from woman's car: 'Another day in Florida'
    • Local news

    Clearwater Police Safely Extract 5-Foot Boa Constrictor from Local Woman’s Vehicle

    In an unusual twist of events in Clearwater, Florida, the local police…
    • Internewscast
    • October 21, 2025
    Western Balkans leaders meet in London for talks on migration and security
    • Local news

    Western Balkans Leaders Convene in London for Critical Discussions on Migration and Security

    LONDON – This week, London becomes the focal point for crucial discussions…
    • Internewscast
    • October 22, 2025
    Senior housing proposed for piece of St. Pete's Historic Gas Plant district
    • Local news

    Transforming History: New Senior Housing Development Planned for St. Pete’s Iconic Gas Plant District

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) — In a bid to explore new development…
    • Internewscast
    • October 22, 2025
    Man taken into custody after driving car into White House gate: Secret Service
    • Local news

    Security Breach: Man Arrested for Crashing Vehicle into White House Gate

    A man was apprehended late Tuesday night after crashing his car into…
    • Internewscast
    • October 22, 2025
    New Champaign clinic focuses on disorders impacting nearly 10% of population
    • Local news

    Revolutionary Champaign Clinic Addresses Common Yet Overlooked Disorders Affecting Millions

    CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — A groundbreaking clinic in Central Illinois is now…
    • Internewscast
    • October 22, 2025
    WATCH LIVE at 9:30 p.m.: SpaceX rocket launch from Florida’s coast
    • Local news

    Tune In at 9:30 p.m.: Florida’s Coast Set for Spectacular SpaceX Rocket Launch

    BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – On Wednesday, SpaceX is set to embark on…
    • Internewscast
    • October 22, 2025
    Chicago school security guard accused of criminal sexual abuse of minors
    • Local news

    Shocking Allegations: Chicago School Security Guard Charged with Sexual Abuse of Minors

    Editor’s Note: The following article addresses sensitive topics related to child abuse.…
    • Internewscast
    • October 22, 2025
    Piatt Co. non-profits putting mental health referendum to use
    • Local news

    Piatt County Non-Profits Implement Mental Health Initiatives Following Referendum Approval

    In Monticello, Illinois, the community is witnessing the positive effects of a…
    • Internewscast
    • October 22, 2025
    Texas says database found 2,000 possible noncitizens on voter rolls
    • Local news

    Texas Secretary of State Sparks Debate with Viral Post on Voter Fraud Allegations

    Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson has reignited discussions about election integrity…
    • Internewscast
    • October 22, 2025
    Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show is not being reconsidered, NFL commissioner says
    • Local news

    Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Snub Finalized: NFL Confirms No Reconsideration

    NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL remains steadfast in its decision to…
    • Internewscast
    • October 22, 2025
    Woman charged with abandoning newborn child at NYC subway stop
    • US

    Newborn Found Abandoned at NYC Subway: Woman Faces Charges

    Authorities in New York City have apprehended a woman accused of leaving…
    • Internewscast
    • October 22, 2025
    King Charles puts Andrew drama to one side as he arrives in Rome
    • News

    King Charles Sets Aside Andrew Controversy During Arrival in Rome

    The 76-year-old monarch is set to participate in an ecumenical service alongside…
    • Internewscast
    • October 22, 2025
    2- and 5-year-old brothers drowned in swimming pool: Police
    • Crime

    Tragic Pool Accident: Two Young Brothers Drown, Urgent Safety Measures Highlighted

    Share A Mississippi mother is under scrutiny following the tragic deaths of…
    • Internewscast
    • October 22, 2025
    Internewscast Journal
    • Home
    • Privacy Policy
    • DMCA Notice
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Guest Post
    • Support Our Cause
    Copyright 2023. All Right Reserverd.