Overview

• Fifty-nine hostages remain held in Gaza, with only 24 believed to be alive, as families mark their second Passover without loved ones.
• Israeli leaders invoke Passover's themes of freedom and resilience to foster national unity during ongoing military operations.
• Families of hostages and victims leave empty chairs at Seder tables, symbolizing absence and hope for liberation.
• Renewed U.S.-Iran negotiations stir cautious optimism and skepticism, with no clear progress on resolving the hostage crisis.
• Passover rituals this year incorporate the hostages' plight, with calls to remember their stories and advocate for their release.