As Gaza hostage crisis drags on, bold leadership is the only path to bring them home

OPINION:

This summer marks 11 years since my son, Lt. Hadar Goldin, was killed and abducted by Hamas during a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in 2014. Eleven years since our family’s world was shattered. Eleven years since Hamas has held Hadar’s body and those of others, both living and deceased, in cruel violation of international humanitarian law and the most basic principles of human dignity.

For more than a decade, we have waited, hoped and fought, but hope alone cannot bring our loved ones home. The recent collapse of Israel-Hamas ceasefire talks in Doha underscores a painful truth: The old approaches — endless negotiations, half-measures and concessions — have failed. We need bold, resolute leadership, the kind President Trump has proved he can deliver.

Mr. Trump’s historic brokering of the Abraham Accords in 2020 showed that transformative diplomacy is possible when leaders reject conventional timidity and embrace decisive action. Those agreements reshaped the Middle East, fostering unprecedented cooperation between Israel and nations such as the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco. As Mr. Trump begins his second term, he has a unique opportunity to harness that same audacity to address the ongoing hostage crisis in the Gaza Strip. This crisis continues to haunt Israel and the world.

Since the horrific Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, which killed more than 1,200 Israelis and resulted in more than 250 taken hostage, the urgency to resolve this crisis has only grown. As of today, dozens of hostages, including women, children and the elderly, remain in captivity under unimaginable conditions. The failure of recent talks, mediated by Qatar and Egypt, highlights the need for a new approach that leverages diplomatic and strategic pressure to compel action.

The Abraham Accords offer a powerful framework for progress. As momentum builds for additional nations, such as Saudi Arabia and Indonesia, to join this historic initiative, there is a clear opportunity to tie diplomatic breakthroughs to concrete humanitarian outcomes. For any country seeking to normalize relations with Israel, a critical first step must be unequivocal support for securing the release of all hostages, living and deceased. This is not just a gesture of goodwill; it is a moral and strategic necessity that will build trust with the Israeli people and demonstrate commitment to a shared vision of peace.

Returning the hostages is not solely an Israeli issue; it is a global humanitarian imperative. It is a test of moral courage for regional powers and a chance to prove their reliability as partners. Nations aspiring to join the Abraham Accords can distinguish themselves by actively supporting efforts to free the hostages, whether through diplomatic pressure on Hamas’ enablers or by facilitating negotiations with teeth.

Mr. Trump understands that true diplomacy hinges on leverage, not appeasement. His first term redefined the Middle East’s geopolitical landscape by prioritizing strength, clarity and principle. He moved the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights and brokered deals that others deemed impossible. He can apply that resolve to reframe the hostage crisis as a nonnegotiable priority. By making the expansion of the Abraham Accords contingent on freeing the hostages, he can galvanize a coalition of nations to act decisively.

The pain of waiting — for families like mine, for the families of those still held captive — never fades. Every day without my son Hadar is a wound that festers, but bold, courageous leadership can end this torment. Mr. Trump has the power to make the return of the hostages the cornerstone of a new Middle East, one where justice and humanity prevail.

I call on Mr. Trump and his administration to seize this moment. Let the next chapter of the Abraham Accords be defined not only by diplomatic triumphs but also by the moral victory of bringing our sons and daughters home. The time for waiting is over. The time for action is now. Bring my son Hadar home.

• Leah Goldin is the mother of Lt. Hadar Goldin, an Israeli soldier killed and abducted by Hamas in 2014. His remains have been held in the Gaza Strip for 11 years. She is an advocate for international humanitarian law and the return of all hostages.