A recently freed Israeli hostage, Arbel Yehoud, has made an emotional plea to the Israeli government to halt its military campaign in Gaza and prioritize the release of the remaining hostages still held by Hamas. Speaking before a parliamentary committee on Monday, Yehoud warned lawmakers that continued military action could cost more innocent lives, including those of the 57 hostages still believed to be in captivity.
“If you do not stop the war, you will have blood on your hands,” she declared, her voice trembling with emotion during her testimony to the Knesset.
Yehoud, who spent 482 harrowing days in captivity before being released earlier this year during a temporary ceasefire agreement, recounted the psychological and physical trauma she endured while being held in Gaza. Her testimony painted a bleak picture of the suffering endured by hostages and offered a sobering insight into the humanitarian cost of the ongoing war.
“My partner Ariel Cunio is still there,” she said tearfully. “And so are 57 others—23 of whom we believe are still alive. Every day we continue this war, we risk never seeing them again.”
Yehoud described her captivity as a living nightmare, where she was regularly exposed to violence and lived in fear of retaliation from her captors whenever Israeli airstrikes occurred. “I was terrified by the sound of missiles and bombs. Whenever their relatives were harmed in Israeli strikes, they would take it out on me. I was beaten. I was isolated. I was given food not fit for human consumption and forced to live in conditions with a level of hygiene reminiscent of the concentration camps during the Holocaust,” she recounted.
Her chilling comparison to Holocaust-era atrocities drew immediate attention from lawmakers and international observers alike, highlighting the severity of conditions in which the hostages are believed to be held.
Yehoud emphasized that continued military efforts will not bring the captives home. “As someone who was there, I know that only through negotiations is returning the hostages possible,” she said firmly. Her plea was not just an appeal to Israeli leadership, but also a message to the international community to support diplomatic efforts rather than prolonged conflict.
Her testimony comes amid renewed international pressure on both Israel and Hamas to reach a lasting ceasefire agreement and secure the release of all hostages. While the Israeli government has maintained that military pressure is necessary to eliminate Hamas’s infrastructure and secure national security, critics argue that the ongoing offensive is endangering civilian lives—including those of the hostages.
The war in Gaza, which reignited in late 2023 following the breakdown of a previous ceasefire, has resulted in thousands of casualties on both sides. Israel’s military operations have targeted Hamas strongholds, but they have also drawn condemnation for the rising number of civilian deaths and the destruction of key infrastructure in Gaza.
Meanwhile, the families of hostages continue to demand more aggressive diplomatic efforts to secure the return of their loved ones. Protests have erupted in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem in recent weeks, with demonstrators calling for a cessation of hostilities and the prioritization of hostage negotiations over military action.
“We have seen too much pain already,” said Dalia Netzer, a relative of another hostage still in Gaza, during a recent protest outside the Israeli Defense Ministry. “Our loved ones are being used as pawns. Every day this war continues, the chances of their survival diminish.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration has faced growing political pressure to balance military objectives with humanitarian obligations. However, government spokespeople maintain that any ceasefire must come with guarantees that Hamas will not regroup or pose a continued threat to Israel’s security.
“There is no greater responsibility than the safety of our citizens,” an Israeli defense official told reporters. “But we are also committed to doing everything possible to bring our people home. That is why we continue to pursue all avenues, including negotiation, to secure their release.”
However, critics argue that the military campaign has overtaken diplomacy in recent months, and Yehoud’s testimony has reignited the national debate over whether Israel’s current approach is truly effective.
“She is not just a survivor; she is a witness to what is happening behind enemy lines,” said Knesset opposition leader Yair Lapid. “We must listen to her. We must act.”
International human rights organizations have also called for an immediate ceasefire to facilitate humanitarian aid and create the necessary conditions for successful hostage negotiations.
“The suffering in Gaza—on both sides—is unbearable,” said Amnesty International in a recent statement. “Hostage-taking is a war crime, and the continued bombing only worsens the humanitarian crisis. Only through a negotiated ceasefire can lives be saved and dignity restored.”
As the conflict stretches on, Yehoud’s plea serves as a powerful reminder of the human cost behind the headlines and the urgency of finding a peaceful resolution.
“My life was spared,” she said, “but every day I live with the knowledge that my partner and so many others are still in that hell. I beg you—end this war, bring them home.”
