Introductory Notes:

Many Israeli military strategists now believe that eliminating Hamas entirely from Gaza as a governing and military authority (a principle Israeli goal in this war) is impossible given the 400 miles of subterranean tunnels everywhere under Gaza in which Hamas’ leadership and fighters hide. They also believe that if the Israeli-Hamas war continues it will be unlikely for Israel to gain the release of the remaining Israeli hostages, estimated at 136 souls (between 10 and 30 are believed to have been murdered by Hamas – many kidnapped Israelis have been sexually abused by their Hamas captors). The rising death and injury toll of Israeli soldiers and the death and injury of thousands of Palestinian civilians constitute a veritable humanitarian catastrophe.

This war must come to an end. All Israeli hostages must be returned to their families as soon as possible. Massive humanitarian aid must reach Palestinian civilians in southern Gaza, 85 percent of whom are homeless, food insecure and vulnerable to communicable diseases.

The following is a press statement issued this week by J Street, a pro-Israel, pro-peace and pro-democracy organization in Washington, D.C.

A disclaimer: I serve as one of four national co-chairs of the J Street Rabbinic and Cantorial Cabinet. I support this statement.

January 25, 2024 – J Street press brief, Washington, D.C.

J Street welcomes and fully supports President Biden’s reported decision to deploy CIA Director William J. Burns to assist in brokering a deal to temporarily halt the hostilities in Gaza, release all remaining hostages, and allow for an urgent, overdue influx of humanitarian aid to civilians.

“Charging the CIA Director with this role indicates that this is a serious, urgent and delicate effort to broker the release of remaining hostages and put a stop to the horrific devastation in Gaza,” said J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami. “As Israel’s key partner with tremendous influence in the region, these goals must be a priority for the United States. It’s past time to recognize that this war, as it is being pursued by the Netanyahu government, is not achieving its stated aims. It’s time to lead with diplomacy.”

Earlier this week, J Street strongly supported a call from General Gadi Eisenkot – an Israeli War Cabinet member and retired Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces – for urgent diplomatic efforts to broker a negotiated stop to the fighting and to bring freedom to the hostages and relief to the people of Gaza. We continue to stand in solidarity with the families of hostages in Israel who are leading powerful protests to call for diplomatic efforts to ensure the safety and swift release of hostages – the only channel that has delivered significant no results so far.

J Street continues to call on the Biden administration to use all available leverage to press the Israeli government to facilitate an immediate, dramatic surge in humanitarian assistance to the civilian population of Gaza. The toll inflicted upon civilians by this war has been unbearably high, and the suffering must stop now.