Gustav Krös & Pieter Potgieter
23/10/2025
On Monday, 13 October, the last 20 living hostages were released by Hamas under the ceasefire deal brokered by the United States. Since then, 15 bodies of deceased hostages have also been returned, while there are still 13 deceased hostages whose remains still need to be returned. Israelis, together with many people around the world, celebrated the release of the hostages as images were shared of them being reunited with their families after 738 days in captivity.
Within Israel, the release of the hostages has made a massive difference in lifting the spirits of the people after two years of war. People feel they can breathe again and return to normal social activities, but true healing will only be able to set in once all the deceased hostages’ remains have been returned. As one of our friends in Israel commented, “I think we can say the wound still hurts, but it’s stopped bleeding, and that’s major. However, we still want to see the bodies returned.”
An interesting fact that might have passed many Christians by is the significance of the date on which the 20 living hostages were released. On 7 October 2023, when the hostages were captured, it was the eighth day of the Biblical Festival of Tabernacles, or Sukkot in Hebrew. In Leviticus 23:33–36 we read as follows concerning the festival:
The Lord said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites: ‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month the Lord’s Festival of Tabernacles begins, and it lasts for seven days. The first day is a sacred assembly; do no regular work. For seven days present food offerings to the Lord, and on the eighth day hold a sacred assembly and present a food offering to the Lord. It is the closing special assembly; do no regular work.’”
The eighth day of the festival is known as Shemini Atzeret, or also as Simchat Torah. Thus, on the morning of 7 October 2023, as many religious Jews in Israel were preparing for a day of celebration, their day was turned into grief and mourning, as Hamas fighters infiltrated the country from Gaza, killed more than 1,200 people, and took 251 hostages.
The significance of the release date of the last 20 living hostages lies in the fact that Shemini Atzeret started at sunset on Monday, 13 October. According to the Jewish calendar, it was therefore exactly two years later that the final living hostages were released from captivity. Whereas the eighth day of the festival in 2023 was turned into a day of heartache, two years later “the last and greatest day of the festival” (John 7:37) could truly be celebrated as the hostages were back with their families again.
Our Sovereign God will surely not allow this to happen purely by coincidence. Whereas the significance of the release date may have passed most people by, many Jews recognised the intimate involvement of their heavenly Father, and so God continues to reveal Himself to the Jewish people and to draw them into a relationship with Him. Although the reality remains that a large part of Israeli society is secular, and that most of those who are religious do not recognise Jesus as the Messiah, God has not forsaken them.
As we read in Ezekiel 36:24-26: “‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.’”
Even some of the hostages have grown closer to God during their time in captivity, with one of our friends in Israel commenting, “Now that we’re starting to hear the testimonies coming from the hostages – it’s precious to hear that when they had nothing, nowhere to turn, nothing to rely on, God was an option – God became an option. That really warms our hearts, that’s for sure. You know I can’t say there’s a revival – I won’t use too big words – but it’s nice to know that.”
On the other side of the equation, the people in Gaza continue to suffer under Hamas rule, especially since the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) has had to withdraw from a large part of the Gaza Strip as part of the ceasefire agreement. Incidents of executions by Hamas have been reported as they try to maintain control over rival factions in the wake of the IDF’s withdrawal. Even though these executions continue to portray the true colours of Hamas, it has certainly achieved its goal in this war of further isolating Israel on the global stage.
Since the war began on 7 October 2023, there have been two battles fought: the physical battle between the IDF and Hamas, and the media battle of perceptions. On the one hand, Israel might have won the physical battle, but it has certainly lost the media battle, with the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Portugal, and France becoming some of the latest countries to acknowledge a Palestinian state. The war has thus greatly accelerated the isolation of Israel – but for Christians, this should not come as a surprise.
Firstly, we know that God has set them apart from other nations, as He states in Leviticus 20:24: “But I said to you, ‘You will possess their land; I will give it to you as an inheritance, a land flowing with milk and honey.’ I am the Lord your God, who has set you apart from the nations.”
And secondly, we know they will continue in this set-apartness until we see Christ return, as we read in Zechariah 14:2-4: “I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it … Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as He fights on a day of battle. On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem …”
The results we see from the war are thus a testimony that God’s Word is true and that what He has spoken will happen, no matter how long ago He said it. While we therefore celebrate the current ceasefire, the release of the hostages, an end to the bombing of Gaza, and more food being transported into Gaza, we know this is not the end of the war around Israel. Jerusalem will remain the focal point of the devil’s battle against God, which will continue to be manifested through the nations battling against Israel.
May we as Christians therefore all the more take heed of Paul’s words in Ephesians 5:16, “making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” This ceasefire may last for days, or it could last for a few years, but ultimately there will be a next battle. May we therefore make use of every opportunity to communicate and show Christ’s love to the people of Israel and Gaza – both Jew and Palestinian – so that more and more people can step into a relationship with the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), because only in Him can true peace be found.
From the world’s point of view, peace is primarily an outer dimension: the absence of war, violence, or open conflict. If the proposed 20-point peace plan, led by President Trump, succeeds, it will bring relief to the region. Many world leaders will feel proud of their input in the process, some even hoping to glorify themselves as peacemakers, perhaps even aiming for recognition such as the Nobel Peace Prize.
But behind the political agreements and ceasefires lies a deeper reality. Thousands of Palestinians and Israelis carry scars from this war—grief over loved ones lost, memories of destruction, and trauma that will not simply disappear with the signing of an agreement. Without healing, such inner wounds often turn into bitterness, hatred, and, eventually, the seeds of further conflict. In that sense, a worldly peace agreement can stop the war, but it cannot secure the future.
From a Christian point of view, peace is first an inner dimension—a wholeness and healing that begins in the heart through reconciliation with God. Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, calls us to forgive our enemies just as we forgive our brothers and sisters. Without forgiveness, there can be no lasting peace.
Forgiveness flows from love, and true love can only be found in Christ. Long-term peace between peoples is impossible without this kind of forgiveness and love. That is why Christians are called to be active participants in peace-making, not bystanders watching from a distance.
As followers of Christ, we are the salt and light in the world. In times like these, we must show compassion without judgement, serve the broken-hearted, and bring hope where hope is lost. Scripture reminds us:
- “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9).
- “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4).
Therefore, we as Christians must not only pray for peace but also demonstrate it through our actions—supporting the traumatised, encouraging the hopeless, and walking alongside those in pain.
From a worldly perspective, peace in Gaza and Israel means an end to war. But from a Christian perspective, peace is far more than the absence of conflict—it is the presence of Christ’s love, forgiveness, and healing. Only when the inner wounds of individuals and communities are addressed can true reconciliation and lasting peace be possible.
Let us, as believers in Jesus, unite in prayer and action. Let us serve the broken, comfort the grieving, and love without judgement. For in doing so, we not only bring peace to others, but we reflect the very heart of Christ, the Prince of Peace.
https://www.tikkunglobal.org/post/rising-out-of-hell-on-simchat-torah
https://edition.cnn.com/2025/10/14/middleeast/gaza-public-execution-gaza-city-hamas-intl
