'Pidyon Shvuyim'—the redemption of captives

As we began to understand the magnitude of October 7, the most overwhelming element was that the kidnapping of 251 into Gaza. Many expected that ordeal to be resolved within days. When days turned into weeks and then months, an entire nation focused its attention on the hostages.

Millions in Israel–and across Jewish world–donned yellow ribbons and Army-style dog tags as symbols of support for the hostages’ return, part of an international campaign for their release.

Beyond the humanitarian desire to see the hostages returned to their loved ones, the very issue of hostages is a powerful topic in Jewish law. In fact, one of the greatest mitzvot (commandments) is Pidyon Shvuyim : the redemption of captives.

Maimonides stated (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Matanot Aniyim) that “there is no greater mitzvah than the redemption of captives.” He explains that those in captivity suffer multiple hardships, including hunger, thirst, and inhuman treatment, and so are in mortal danger. Therefore, redeeming a hostage is akin to saving a life, which takes precedence over almost all other commandments.

Furthermore, ignoring the plight of a captive violates the Torah’s obligation to “not stand idly by the blood of your neighbor” (Leviticus 19:16).

In modern-day Israel, the ethos of never leaving a soldier behind has been a cornerstone value of the IDF and its predecessor, the Haganah. Generations of soldiers and their parents were assured that, come what may, should any be injured or taken hostage, the nation would not rest until they’re brought home.

Israeli soldiers captured by the enemy were redeemed in all our wars, usually returned in exchange for a far larger number of captured enemy soldiers:

*In 1976, Palestinian terrorists hijacked an Air France jet full of Israeli and other passengers to Entebbe, Uganda and demanded the release of Palestinians from Israeli prisons. The IDF launched a daring raid in Entebbe, more than 2,000 miles away. The hostages were rescued and brought home.

*When IDF soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev were killed by Hezbollah and their bodies kidnapped to Lebanon in 2006, Hezbollah demanded the release of terrorists in exchange for the bodies. Israel, in turn, launched a raid. This evolved into the Second Lebanon War, resulting in the eventual capture of the high-ranking Palestinian Liberation Front terrorist Samir Kuntar; Israel returned him, along with four members of Hezbollah, in exchange for those two soldiers in 2008.

*After IDF soldier Gilad Shalit was kidnapped by Hamas into Gaza in 2006, he spent five years in captivity, until he was released in exchange for over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners.

*Even in the case of Elhanan Tannenbaum, a reserve IDF Colonel, Israel was willing to do everything to bring him back. In 2000, he was lured to Dubai and kidnapped by Hezbollah after they offered him a drug deal. Ultimately, he was returned to Israel along with three bodies of IDF soldiers in exchange for 450 prisoners held in Israel.

Given this long list of precedents, when Hamas kidnapped 251 Israelis and other nationals on October 7, the nation expected a deal for their release.

Some in government, however, insisted that the risks of releasing thousands of terrorists far outweighed the “value” of the hostages returning. They pointed to the estimated 800 Israelis killed by the terrorists who had been released in exchange for Gilad Shalit–ncluding Yahia Sinwar, who had become the architect of the October 7 massacre itself.

Yet, the vast majority of Israelis advocated for the return of the hostages. We marched in the streets and held our collective breath every time a hostage was released. Having heard so much about our hostages and their families, we all felt that we knew each of them personally.

The return of dead hostages is as high a priority as the return of the live ones. And so, even after the release of the remaining 20 live hostages on October 13, 2025, Israelis kept wearing their yellow ribbon pins, demanding the return of the last 28 bodies. For the families-including that of Lieutenant Hadar Goldin, killed in battle and kidnapped to Gaza in 2014 and only returned this fall-there could be no closure until the last soldier was returned for burial in Israeli soil.

As of this writing, there are four bodies still being held by Hamas. Until they are home, their families’ ordeal will not end. Until they are home, Israel cannot truly heal. Until they are home, it is incumbent upon the government to do all it can to bring them back for burial in Israel.

There is no truer embodiment of the phrase ” kol Yisrael aravim ze ba ze” –all Israel is responsible, one for the other–than the promise of Pidyon Shvuyim . It is an imperative that transcends even death.

Ofer Bavly is a JUF Vice President and the Director General of the JUF Israel Office.