The wait has been long—painfully, excruciatingly long. For over 467 days, we have watched and hoped, bracing ourselves for any glimmer of good news. Each passing day has felt heavier than the last, as families have marched, prayed, and clung to the faintest thread of hope. In every corner of the country, we’ve worn their names, tied yellow ribbons, and whispered silent prayers for a day that now, at last, seems possible.

We’ve come to know the hostages not as distant figures, but as people with real lives and loved ones. Their stories have become our stories. Their families’ tears have been our tears. Each setback has hit us like a blow, and each “almost” deal has left us heartbroken. The questions have been unrelenting and raw: Are........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)