On Oct. 13, 2025, Hamas, the terrorist organization that governs Gaza, released the final 20 Israeli hostages as part of negotiations under President Donald Trump’s proposed 20-point Middle East peace plan.

For two years, these hostages were held underground in Hamas bunkers—starved, beaten and deprived of their human rights.

“You needed to ask for permission to breathe, to talk, to go to the toilet, to beg for food and water,” former hostage Eli Sharabi recalled in a BBC interview. “They tied us with ropes around our legs and hands. I fainted from time to time from the pain.”

The locations of these bunkers tell a cruel story. Hamas hid its missile arsenals, command posts and rocket launchers inside apartments, schools, offices and even hospitals—turning innocent civilians into human shields.

Even many Palestinians recognize the damage done by their own rulers. Palestinian political analyst Bassem Eid addressed his people in a YouTube video, saying:

“It is Hamas that steals the imported cement meant to build houses for you and uses it instead to build a massive network of tunnels from which it hopes to terrorize Israelis. … It is Hamas that makes sure humanitarian aid meant for you is diverted to its favored elites, who then sell it for a profit on the black market.”

So the question must be asked: Why do international organizations such as the United Nations continue sending funds that so often end up in the hands of terrorists?

If the global community truly wants peace for both Israelis and Palestinians, it must stop turning a blind eye to corruption and terror. It is time to stop neglecting responsibility, stop underdelivering real help and find effective ways to ensure that aid reaches those who genuinely need it.

Whether one admires or despises Trump, the reality is that his administration is pushing for solutions few others have dared to pursue. Real peace begins not with “Free Palestine,” but with accountability—and the courage to call things by their name.