President Donald Trump has done what few others could. He brought movement where, for months, there was none to be found. Through persistence, relationships and an instinct for dealmaking during a crisis, he has pushed the sides toward a framework that could finally bring home every single hostage still held in Gaza, including my son Itay, the youngest U.S. citizen still in captivity, and set the stage for a more stable and perhaps more peaceful Middle East.
For two years, Israel has been fighting a war that began with unspeakable horror.
But the next steps are entirely up to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump has taken the deal as far as he can. He has brought negotiating parties from Israel and Hamas together in Cairo to work through the details of a framework for which he took responsibility — called the Trump Peace Plan. The time for waiting, for maneuvering, for deflecting responsibility is over. This is the moment that only Netanyahu can finalize, both for the 48 hostages’ families and for Israel’s future.
For two years, Israel has been fighting a war that began with unspeakable horror. The entire world rallied behind us, but that solidarity has slowly eroded amid political divisions and prolonged uncertainty. Trump’s renewed engagement, alongside the support of Arab partners, has created a rare diplomatic window. If seized, it could achieve what endless strategy sessions and diplomatic meetings have not: the return of the 48 remaining hostages and the beginning of regional reconstruction.
The United States has done its part. It has created an international coalition supporting the president’s plan, coordinated pressure on Hamas, attacked Iran’s nuclear facilities and re-engaged regional leaders — who for too long were comfortable staying on the sidelines. It has also offered Netanyahu something no one else could: the political cover to act decisively and achieve his political goals and to see a way to end the international tailspin he has led Israel into, all while protecting himself domestically. That cover will not last forever, and the moment to make a historic decision is now.
This is the moment Netanyahu can at last prove to be the global leader he has always claimed to be. He must take the extra steps required to release the remaining hostages and cement his legacy as a leader who, at great risk, fought for Israel’s long-term security.
My family is focused on the success of this initiative. In the upsetting event that we do not see a comprehensive hostage deal, I believe the Trump administration has an obligation to explore independent alternatives to release its remaining U.S. citizens held by Hamas. The United States was successful in negotiating the independent release of Edan Alexander from Hamas captivity in May. The United States can do it again. As such, if Trump concludes Netanyahu is not willing to reach a hostage deal for whatever reason, he should guide his negotiation team in line with his America First policy to find a way to release the remaining U.S. citizens — including my son. My family, with other hostages’ families, will be spending the next days in front of Netanyahu’s residence — reminding him that this window of opportunity should not be missed. He was the prime minister when 251 hostages were taken and 1,200 were killed on that fatal Oct. 7 two years ago by a savage terrorist organization, and he has the obligation to correct this tragedy by reuniting us with our loved ones.
Ruby Chen
Ruby Chen is the father of Itay Chen, a 19-year-old American member of the IDF who was stationed near Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023. Ruby lives in Israel with his wife, Hagit, and their two other children. 
