America’s Invisible Hostage Crisis in Gaza

Originally published in the Wall Street Journal’s Free Expression newsletter on July 9, 2024.

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I’m old enough to remember the yellow ribbons. In 1979, Islamic radicals in Iran took 52 Americans hostage, holding them for 444 days. The hostages’ plight captured the nation’s attention. Some of them became household names. Across the country people prayed for their release.

The crisis was the lead story on the news every night. Tying a yellow ribbon on a tree or lamppost became a public expression of sorrow and concern. Even the White House Christmas tree had one.

What a contrast to our current hostage crisis. On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas killed more than 30 American citizens and took as many as a dozen Americans hostage. Of those who were taken, at least two have been murdered. Five, we pray, are still alive. Do you know any of their names? Have you seen one yellow ribbon?

You may have heard of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, who was born in Berkeley, Calif., and lived in Richmond, Va., before emigrating to Israel with his parents at age 7. Hersh attended the Nova music festival on Oct. 7. During the massacre, a Hamas grenade blew off his left arm below his elbow. In April, his captors released a propaganda video of a weary and tormented Hersh speaking to the camera. Did you see it? Do you think you could pick him out of a lineup?

Every American should know about Hersh and the other hostages who are still being held: Edan Alexander of Tenafly, N.J.; Sagui Dekel-Chen of Bloomfield, N.J.; Omer Neutra of Melville, N.Y.; and Keith Siegel of Chapel Hill, N.C. The nightly news should be sharing their stories, profiling their families and pressing the U.S. government to secure their release. Why isn’t America’s heartland painted yellow with ribbons tied around trees, mailboxes and light posts like in 1979. That would let the hostages and their families know they haven’t been forgotten.

Or have they been forgotten? Have we lost our heart as a nation?

On June 9, the Israel Defense Forces executed a stunning daylight raid in two Gaza locations and freed four hostages held by Hamas. Perhaps the U.S. is deploying its considerable intelligence and special forces capabilities to rescue the five Americans held in captivity for nine months.

Even if the Defense Department were to propose such an operation, it strains the imagination to think President Biden would authorize it. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has suggested that Israel could soon become “indistinguishable” from Hamas. Imagine being a hostage family and knowing your loved one’s life depends on the moral clarity, conviction and negotiating savvy of someone capable of such a despicable statement.

Jimmy Carter had his flaws as president but at least, with Operation Eagle Claw, he attempted to rescue our hostages from Iran. President Biden rarely mentions our fellow citizens who are being held by barbaric terrorists. Their freedom doesn’t seem to be a high priority for his administration. Frankly, the plight of our hostages doesn’t seem to mean much to most Americans.

It makes me wonder: Who are we anymore?

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Mr. Ondrasik is a musician who performs as Five for Fighting.