Why #LetThemGoNow is the clear message needed to free Gaza hostages – opinion

Thank you, President-elect Donald Trump, for your leadership in demanding the freedom of all hostages held captive by Hamas in Gaza since its terrorist onslaught on October 7, 2023. 

The ongoing campaign to free the hostages has sparked intense debate over the best way to advocate for their release.

Two prominent calls to action – #LetThemGoNow and #BringThemHomeNow – reflect differing approaches to this urgent humanitarian crisis. While both serve to amplify the demand for the immediate release of hostages, their subtle differences in messaging are crucial – especially now, as the United States prepares for the new administration entering the White House.

It is time for every government, humanitarian NGO, and student activist and Jewish organization to follow Trump’s lead and adopt the most effective messaging to increase pressure on the terrorist perpetrators of these atrocities and their enablers: Qatar, Turkey, and Iran.

The phrase #LetThemGoNow captures a fundamental demand: the immediate, unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas. This call stresses the urgency and inhumanity of holding innocent civilians captive.

Free the hostages now

#LetThemGoNow directly targets Hamas and makes an unequivocal demand: the hostages must be freed immediately, without conditions. It underscores Hamas’s role as a violator of international law and human rights, delegitimizing their actions and denying them the power they seek. Let them go, NOW! No more delay, no more suffering.

In contrast, #BringThemHomeNow emphasizes the emotional urgency of returning hostages to their families in Israel. While deeply empathetic, this phrase shifts focus to external actors – negotiators, governments, and mediators – implying that solutions lie in their ability to bring the hostages back. This framing unintentionally empowers Hamas by reinforcing their position as key players in negotiations, granting them undeserved legitimacy and leverage.

For Israel, whose 100 hostages – including children, the elderly, people of over two dozen nationalities including seven Americans – remain in captivity, the stakes could not be higher. Messaging is a tool to rally international support and apply pressure on Hamas. While the Israeli government has consistently emphasized Hamas’s inhumane actions, aligning this with the #LetThemGoNow demand strengthens the narrative.

The messaging behind these phrases is crucial, particularly with the United States entering a new political era under Trump. While the specifics of the new government’s foreign policy remain to be seen, it is undeniable that the United States’s influence in international affairs will play a pivotal role in shaping the global response to the hostage crisis.

The new administration must make it clear, through both public statements and diplomatic channels, that hostage-taking will not be tolerated and that the safe return of these innocent individuals is a top priority. While transitions of power can create uncertainties in foreign policy, this is a moment when the United States must offer strong, unequivocal leadership.

The strategic importance of messaging

Condemning Hamas unequivocally: Hamas, designated as a terrorist organization by the US, EU, and many other countries, has long used civilians as pawns in its strategy. Human life has no meaning for them. By centering the message on #LetThemGoNow, Israel and its allies reinforce that Hamas’s actions are indefensible under international law. This language calls attention to the moral and legal obligation to release the hostages without granting Hamas any semblance of legitimacy.

Strengthening Israel’s diplomatic efforts: The Israeli government has mobilized significant resources to secure the release of hostages, balancing military actions in Gaza with diplomatic pressure. A unified global message of #LetThemGoNow aligns with Israel’s goal of maintaining international support while keeping the focus on Hamas’s atrocities.

Preventing Hamas’s manipulation of the narrative: Hamas thrives on propaganda, often framing themselves as defenders of the Palestinian cause while exploiting human lives for leverage. That’s the playbook. Unfortunately, the phrase #BringThemHomeNow risks reinforcing Hamas’s false claims of control and power. #LetThemGoNow shifts the narrative, correctly portraying Hamas solely as precisely what they are: perpetrators of crimes against humanity.

Keeping US leadership focused: The Trump administration will face competing priorities in the Middle East and throughout the world. A clear, direct demand like #LetThemGoNow simplifies the narrative, ensuring hostage release efforts remain a distinct, urgent humanitarian cause rather than a piece of a broader, more contentious puzzle.

A unified call for justice: The language of #LetThemGoNow sends an unambiguous message: hostage-taking is intolerable, and the only acceptable action from Hamas is to release all captives immediately and unconditionally. This framing avoids any implication of negotiations or concessions, instead placing full accountability on Hamas.

#LetThemGoNow is not just a slogan; it’s a demand for humanity, clarity, and action. Hostages are not bargaining chips. They are victims of unspeakable cruelty as every day they remain in captivity constitutes ongoing crimes against humanity. 

By choosing the language of #LetThemGoNow, the Trump administration, Israel and its allies assert a collective moral stance: Hamas must release all hostages now – without precondition, without delay, before another moment of suffering is allowed to pass unchecked. 

This message must be amplified across all diplomatic channels, ensuring that the hostages are freed and returned home, and that the world holds the perpetrators of these atrocities accountable.

The writer is the CEO of WorldQuant and chairman of #LetThemGoNOW, a global humanitarian campaign for the immediate freedom of all hostages held captive by Hamas in Gaza. #LetThemGoNOW was founded by James Oppenheim under the auspices of the Mayanot Institute of Jewish Studies, Jerusalem.