*Disclaimer: This article represents Lily’s opinion alone, not that of Gulliver Prep, the administration, or the staff of the Raider Voice.

The prolonged hostage crisis following Hamas’ attack last October has been a significant concern for the Nation State of the Jewish People: Israel. This February, United Nations Allies witnessed notable developments with the release of several Israeli hostages. These events provided an angle from which to assess the efforts being taken to secure their freedom. So this leaves the following question: Are there enough measures being taken when it comes to the release of Israel’s hostages? The quick and easy answer to this is, no.

Four important dates, Feb. 1, 8, 15, and 22, were the latest release dates of hostages this past month.

On Feb 1, Hamas released three Israeli civilians who were taken back in the 2023 attack: Keith Siegel, Ofer Kalderon, and Yarden Bibas. In exchange, Israel freed 183 Palestinian prisoners.

On the 8th, three more Israeli prisoners, Eli Sharabi, Ohad Ben Ami, and Or Levy, were released by Hamas—Israel, again, discharged 183 more prisoners.

On the 15th, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad released three more civilians, Lair Horn, Alexander Trufanov, and Sagui Dekel-Chen, in return for 369 Palestinian prisoners.

Lastly, on the 22nd, Hamas released, this time, six Israeli hostages. The first four are Eliya Cohen, Tal Shoham, Omer Shem Tov, Omer Wenkert, Avera Mengistu, and Hisham al-Sayed, who had been held for over a decade. Israel delayed their planned release of 620 Palestinian prisoners citing that Hamas had violated the agreement by demeaning the treatment of hostages.

A touchy situation that took place during the release was centered around the Bibas family. During the attack in October, YardenSheri, and their two sons, Ariel (5) and Kfir (9 months), were abducted from their home in Southern Israel. Yarden was released on the 1st of Oct. However, his wife and children remained held captive. During the release on the 18th, Hamas announced they would return the bodies of Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir. Forensic examinations revealed that one of the bodies, which was supposed to be Shiri, was not that of whom they said, which led to further distress and complications. Hamas claimed it as a possible mix up and returned the proper remains later.

The Israeli government’s approach to ensuring the release of hostages is filled with a range of strategies, but each with its own set of complications. For example, the release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Israeli hostages has been a critical tactic, but concerns about the arrangement have led some to believe that this strategy could potentially encourage future abductions and the dilemma of releasing individuals convicted of serious offenses.

The public reaction to the hostage crisis of the Israeli people has been a blend of relief and frustration. The families of the hostages want to see the successful releases of their loved ones, but are upset about the methods being used to get them home. Families of the hostages and their supporters have organized protests expressing their dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of the situation as a whole.

Therefore, the Feb. 2025 hostage releases highlight the various challenges in resolving such a crisis. While the Israeli government has employed strategies such as their negotiations for the exchange of hostages, the effectiveness and ethical implications of these efforts require ongoing review.

Some may argue that too much has been done for so little in return, but the truth is that not enough effort has been made. Negotiating with those Israel has long been at war with is never the ideal solution, but ensuring the release of hostages should be the absolute priority—regardless of its complexities. The idea of exchanging nearly 200 prisoners for just three hostages is not only absurd, but also a distasteful imbalance that diminishes the Israeli’s justice and security. Balancing the safe return of hostages while maintaining the correct principles in the process is not an easy matter, but Israel can no longer rely on failing strategies. Moving forward, a more strategic approach is necessary in order to protect its people and ensure that people’s loved ones are brought home without endangering the nation’s strength and integrity.