Marylanders cautiously optimistic for hostage release after Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal
BALTIMORE -- Marylanders with ties to Israel and Gaza expressed cautious optimism after Hamas and Israel reached a ceasefire agreement Wednesday that calls for the phased release of hostages.
"We've all been thinking about the hostages every day. It's why I wear this yellow ribbon every single day," said Howard Libit, the executive director of the Baltimore Jewish Council.
WJZ has extensively covered the local impact including many Marylanders who attended the March for Israel in 2023.
There were also protests at Johns Hopkins University in 2024.
Hope for the hostages
Libit points to the ribbon on his lapel as he keeps the hostages in Gaza close to his heart.
"One of the camp counselors who my kids know from their overnight camp, they always have counselors from Israel — one of their camp counselors was killed in Gaza during the fighting. That has a real impact on all of us," Libit told WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren. "Many people here have friends in Israel who know hostages or who lost loved ones on October 7 (2023) or who have relatives who have been fighting pretty nonstop, whether it's in Gaza or Lebanon or defending another part of Israel. It has taken an incredible toll on Israel and all of us who have friends and family there."
Asked whether Libit thought a ceasefire would ever be reached after so long, he said, "It felt like the negotiators got so close several times, and there was always a stumbling block that threw things off. I am as optimistic as I've been throughout this process that we are going to move forward with the release of the hostages. I know there are some technical things to work out, but I am really hopeful that come this weekend, we're going to see hostages returned to Israel."
"It will take time to heal"
In Tel Aviv, people hugged in the street Wednesday, and in Gaza, there were cheers of jubilation.
Ghada Tafesh, who lives in Maryland but has family in Gaza and was born there, has been anxiously awaiting a ceasefire.
"We're definitely a little cautious to see how this unfolds," Tafesh said. "Everybody back home is really, really excited. My family is very happy, and we can't wait for better days to come. This has been an awful tragedy that everybody is trying to process, so it will take some time to heal and move on."
Tafesh said her family home was destroyed. Her mother had to evacuate.
"There's a lot of relief that people will be able to return to their homes," Tafesh said. "There's a little bit of sadness, too, because we know people who are going home are not going back to the places that they left."
Tafesh continued, "There's a lot of destruction, including my family's home that they lost during the war. And there's a lot of questions, too, in terms of how this will be implemented, how soon is everyone going back, what about reconstruction? And what about just access to regular facilities like hospitals, schools, everything that's been destroyed?"
Uncertainty of hostage release
Libit also has questions—starting with the welfare of the hostages. He knows the phased release carries uncertainty.
"I think we all have to keep praying that the hostages who get returned, that they are returned alive," Libit said. "I think our great worry in the next few days is does Hamas know where all the hostages are being held? Do they actually have access to them? How many are going to be returned alive? How many are going to be returned dead?"
Libit told WJZ even with the ceasefire, Israel still faces major security concerns.