About the Tikva Forum
The Tikva Forum is an organization founded by families whose loved ones were kidnapped or murdered during the October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks. The forum works to secure the release of the hostages, support their families, and keep the issue at the forefront of both national and international discourse.
The Tikva Forum is an organization founded by families whose loved ones were kidnapped or murdered during the October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks. The forum works to secure the release of the hostages, support their families, and keep the issue at the forefront of both national and international discourse.
The forum’s goal is to bring all the hostages home safely, strengthen national unity, and promote long-term strategies to prevent future terrorism and kidnappings.
The forum is led by the families of the hostages themselves. Its core operations are managed in collaboration with several founding members. The forum’s chairman is Zvika Mor.
The families lead all the forum’s efforts. They participate in public campaigns, meet with decision-makers, speak to the media, join protest rallies, and engage in all actions aimed at keeping the hostages in the public eye. Their personal involvement is the heart of the forum.
Our Activities
The forum engages in parliamentary lobbying, meetings with key decision-makers, public campaigns, international collaboration, collecting testimonies from families, and organizing awareness events.
The forum engages in parliamentary lobbying, meetings with key decision-makers, public campaigns, international collaboration, collecting testimonies from families, and organizing awareness events.
The forum provides regular updates on the hostages’ situation, organizes memorials and rallies, and runs public awareness campaigns. It also enables fundraising and encourages volunteer engagement.
The forum offers emotional support, legal guidance, and assistance in advancing families’ goals with the Israeli government and international bodies. It also organizes mutual support meetings for the families.
The Forum’s Positions
The forum demands a deal that brings all hostages home and guarantees long-term Israeli security. It opposes partial deals or agreements that fail to return everyone safely and immediately.
Such a deal, the forum believes, is only possible under conditions that currently do not exist.
The forum demands a deal that brings all hostages home and guarantees long-term Israeli security. It opposes partial deals or agreements that fail to return everyone safely and immediately.
Such a deal, the forum believes, is only possible under conditions that currently do not exist.
The forum believes that direct negotiations with Hamas will not lead to the release of all the hostages. Hamas has an interest in holding them for years. The forum calls on the Israeli government to increase pressure and communication with individuals involved in holding the hostages — including financial incentives and offers of safe passage from Gaza in exchange for reliable information.
Hamas aims to destabilize Israeli society by exploiting its sensitivity to human life and inciting political turmoil. In a scenario where a partial deal is made, Hamas might release only a few hostages — alive or dead — in exchange for an Israeli withdrawal, an end to the war, and foreign aid.
From that point, Israel would lose all leverage, and Hamas would have no reason to release the remaining hostages.
A phased deal creates a terrible moral dilemma regarding the fate of most of the captives.
A deal that brings everyone home — without leaving anyone behind — is only possible under heavy pressure on Hamas.
The November 2023 deal was made possible due to two key conditions:
- No humanitarian aid was allowed in, and military pressure was applied.
- Hamas was under pressure from its backers to release kidnapped women and children. Religious and moral criticism was voiced, stating that holding helpless individuals was against Islamic values. Releasing them helped improve Hamas’s image among states and groups whose support it needed.
Applying maximum pressure on Hamas offers the best chances of securing a complete release. It’s important to distinguish between “military pressure” and “military operations” — the latter may yield limited results, but only sustained pressure creates real leverage.
The forum insists that aid must not be delivered through Hamas. Instead, it should be distributed via international organizations or directly by the IDF, in order to prevent Hamas from exploiting aid for terror purposes.
Yes. The forum strongly opposes any withdrawal from the Philadelphi Corridor while hostages remain in Gaza. Such a move could worsen their condition, enable Hamas to smuggle weapons and hostages more easily, and increase the danger to Israeli soldiers.
The forum supports a ceasefire only if it directly contributes to the full release of all hostages. It opposes unilateral ceasefires that may hinder progress or embolden Hamas.
Yes. The Tikva Forum works with international human rights groups, UN representatives, and global advocacy organizations to promote the hostages’ cause and gain international support.
Yes. The forum works through embassies and diplomatic channels to put pressure on Hamas and mobilize global efforts for the hostages’ release.
The forum shares verified, up-to-date information through its official website and media channels to counter misinformation and ensure accuracy.
How Can You Help?
There are many ways to help: volunteer at events, share our content online, support tech and content creation projects, or assist with fundraising. Every contribution strengthens the forum’s mission and supports hostage families.
There are many ways to help: volunteer at events, share our content online, support tech and content creation projects, or assist with fundraising. Every contribution strengthens the forum’s mission and supports hostage families.
Donations can be made through the Tikva Forum’s website or via bank transfer. Your support helps fund the forum’s public advocacy, political work in Israel and abroad, and family assistance efforts on the ground.