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TWO YEARS OF DARKNESS - On October 13, 2025, Israel exhaled. The final 20 hostages held in Gaza returned home after more than two harrowing years of terror, darkness, and uncertainty. Families embraced loved ones they feared they would never see again. Cities erupted in joy. And yet, even as tears flowed, a haunting question lingered: how did we arrive at a moment where citizens could be stolen from their homes, held captive for years, and only returned after unimaginable suffering?
The Gaza war tore through Israel’s sense of invulnerability. Military might, so often our shield, proved insufficient to prevent catastrophe. Bombs and operations could not erase fear, nor could they swiftly rescue those abducted. In the end, diplomacy—negotiation, mediation, quiet international pressure—carried lives back to safety. Victory is not only measured in enemy casualties or territory regained; it is measured in lives restored, in human beings returned to their families.
Intelligence failures were painfully exposed. Over 250 citizens were taken, many held for months or years in terror. Homes were invaded, families shattered, communities traumatized. The lessons are harsh: preparation must be relentless, coordination flawless, vigilance constant. Lives depend on it. Every lapse leaves an indelible mark, not just on strategy, but on the hearts of the nation. Israel must confront these shortcomings with transparency and resolve, ensuring that what happened once can never happen again.
The human toll extends beyond bodies rescued. Survivors carry scars invisible to the eye—fear, anxiety, memories no one should endure. Their courage humbles us, but their pain demands a response. Israel must invest in healing, in mental health, in rebuilding the resilience of a society tested to its limits. Strength is meaningless if it cannot shield the soul as well as the body. Families of hostages have lived in a state of constant fear and uncertainty, and the echoes of that trauma will linger for years to come. Recognizing, acknowledging, and addressing this pain is a moral imperative.
Diplomacy proved its worth. International mediation, led by figures such as U.S. President Donald Trump, was decisive in bringing hostages home. Even the strongest nation cannot fight alone against entrenched terror. Future security depends on partnerships, dialogue, and the humility to seek life-saving alliances when force alone cannot suffice. Israel learned, painfully, that isolationism is not a shield, and that global cooperation can be as vital as tanks or fighter jets in saving lives.
Yet security and survival are only part of the equation. Gaza lies in ruins. Thousands have been displaced, trapped in a cycle of violence they did not choose. If Israel’s victory is only measured by the return of hostages, then the war’s moral cost is forgotten. Protecting our people must be inseparable from preventing suffering, rebuilding communities, and breaking the cycles that breed hatred. Compassion is not weakness; it is the foundation of lasting security. Israel’s strength will be measured not only in how well it defends its citizens, but also in how it fosters conditions for peace and stability.
Accountability cannot be optional. Leaders, agencies, and institutions must face scrutiny. Lessons unlearned become tragedies repeated. The price of neglect is measured not in politics, but in stolen lives, broken families, and a nation haunted by what might have been prevented. Every intelligence lapse, every miscalculation, every delay in action carries consequences that resonate far beyond the battlefield. Transparency, reform, and steadfast oversight are essential to restore public trust and ensure that the horrors of October 7 never recur.
The homecoming of hostages is a moment of triumph, but it is also a mirror. It reflects our courage and resilience—but also our failings. For every tear of reunion, there is a shadow of grief for those who never returned, for lives irreparably altered, for innocence lost. And yet, from this pain must come resolve: to prepare better, to act faster, and to never let such suffering occur again.
Israel has learned that strength is more than arms. True strength protects the human spirit, values every life, and never sacrifices morality for expedience. The hostages are home. Let their ordeal, and the war that stole them, guide us to a future where freedom, safety, and humanity are inseparable.
And let this promise echo through every Israeli heart: we will remember, we will learn, and we will never allow terror to take what is ours again.
(Mihran Kalaydjian has over twenty years of public affairs, government relations, legislative affairs, public policy, community relations and strategic communications experience. He is a leading member of the community and a devoted civic engagement activist for education spearheading numerous academic initiatives in local political forums. Mihran is also the President of Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure of TCCI)
