History and Context: Israel-Hamas War

On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched the deadliest attack on Jews since the Holocaust. For journalist Yardena Schwartz, the massacre was a chilling echo of the 1929 Hebron Massacre—the brutal slaughter of nearly 70 Jews, incited by propaganda that Jews sought to seize the Al Aqsa Mosque. At the time, she was writing her first book, "Ghosts of a Holy War: The 1929 Massacre in Palestine That Ignited the Arab-Israeli Conflict". Yardena shares how history repeated itself, how the October 7 attack reshaped her book, and why understanding the past is essential to making sense of the present.

More than 18 months after Hamas' massacre of Israelis, Palestinian terror groups are still holding 59 men and women—including five Americans—captive in Gaza.

Rabbi Noam Marans, AJC Director of Interreligious Affairs, delivers a nourishing prayer following the return of four murdered hostages by Hamas.

As we begin the 119th Congress and President Trump’s second term, I urge everyone to recognize the bipartisan work displayed between senior officials in the outgoing Biden Administration and the then-incoming Trump Administration to make a breakthrough in an agreement to secure the release of 33 of the remaining hostages brutally abducted from Israel during Hamas’ attack on October 7, 2023. We cannot take for granted the unique power of senior officials from the Biden and Trump administrations working together.

The January 2025 Israel-Hamas hostage agreement resulted in the release of multiple Israeli hostages after over 470 days of brutal captivity in Gaza, where they endured extreme conditions such as isolation, malnutrition, and untreated injuries. Survivors like Emily Damari, Doron Steinbrecher, and Romi Gonen shared shocking accounts of their time in Hamas tunnels, while recently freed soldiers Karina Ariev and Daniella Gilboa faced forced labor and severe psychological trauma. As Israel works to secure the return of the remaining hostages, global attention is focused on the ongoing humanitarian and geopolitical crisis in Gaza.

When will the next hostages be released? Discover the details of the Israel-Hamas hostage and ceasefire deal, including the release of 33 hostages and ongoing negotiations for remaining captives. Learn about the phases of the agreement, the American hostages held by Hamas, and how families have endured months of advocacy and uncertainty. Stay updated on this pivotal development in the Israel-Gaza conflict

Replacing the memory of the Holocaust with that of other struggles—even legitimate ones—poses a grave threat and betrays the spirit of "Never again," which was meant as a universal call for vigilance, not as a pretext for contemporary hostility toward Jews.

During the first phase of a hostage release agreement with the Hamas terror group, Israel will exchange more than 1,900 Palestinian security prisoners for 33 of the remaining hostages in Gaza over 42 days. 

After 471 harrowing days in Gaza, Israeli hostages Emily Damari, Romi Gonen, and Doron Steinbrecher are finally reunited with their families. Julie Fishman Rayman, AJC’s Managing Director of Policy and Political Affairs, discusses the emotional impact of these reunions, the high-stakes prisoner exchange deal, and the collaboration between the outgoing Biden administration and newly inaugurated President Donald Trump.

When word came that a deal had been reached that would provide a pathway for the release of the 98 hostages still held by terrorists in Gaza, I felt relieved, but I could not yet celebrate. Of course, I will enthusiastically welcome the return of the hostages and the end of the torture they have endured over the last 15 months. But until every hostage is returned home, we cannot rest.

Will Syria’s alliance of disparate rebel groups be able to ensure prosperity and peaceful coexistence in Syria and the surrounding region? Experts from AJC’s Center for a New Middle East in Washington D.C., AJC Jerusalem, and AJC Abu Dhabi shared what they see from their vantage points.

The Syrian Civil War has reignited, with Islamist rebels seizing Aleppo and threatening Assad’s government, as his allies—Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah—face their own conflicts. This instability poses risks for Israel, including heightened security threats from radical groups near its border, while also impacting U.S. counterterrorism efforts in the region.

AJC experts stationed around the world share their insight on how a second Trump administration may impact key issues such as combating antisemitism, global support for Israel, expanding the Abraham Accords, and countering the Iranian regime.

“Listen to me, Edan. I'm here. I'm with you. I love you. Just protect yourself. Just be safe.” These were the last words Yael Alexander spoke to her then-19 year old son, Edan, on the morning of October 7, 2023. Edan was later taken hostage by Hamas terrorists. Yael joins us from her New Jersey home to tell her story.

Get the facts about the Inverted Red Triangle, an anti-Israel symbol often weaponized under the guise of "Palestinian Resistance" to identify, harass, and target Israelis and Jews, glorify Hamas’ terror, and call for increased violence against the Jewish people.

Donald J. Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States on November 5, 2024, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris. His record includes strong support for Israel, highlighted by initiatives such as recognizing Jerusalem as its capital, advocating for expanded peace agreements like the Abraham Accords, and taking a firm stance on Iran with sanctions and military actions. Trump has pledged to make advancing the Abraham Accords a top priority and maintain a rigorous approach to countering Iranian influence in the region.

Shlomo Mantzur, 86—the oldest hostage held by Hamas terrorists—is a loving husband and grandfather who escaped the antisemitic, 1941 Iraqi Farhud massacre and emigrated to Israel, only to face another pogrom 82 years later in the Jewish state.

Naama Levy, just 20 years old, has been held hostage by Hamas terrorists for more than a year.

Who is Ta-Nehisi Coates? And what is Ta-Nehisi Coates famous for? A celebrated writer and public intellectual known for his works on race in America, he has recently stirred controversy with his new book, The Message.

Known as the mastermind behind the October 7 Hamas massacre that killed over 1,200 Israelis and took over 250 hostages, Yahya Sinwar was one of the most wanted terrorists. On October 17, 2024, Israeli officials announced the IDF killed Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar in the southern Gaza Strip.