Former hostages held by Hamas are urging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President , and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to prioritize the release of remaining captives, even if it necessitates a pause in military operations.

Following the recent release of American-Israeli Edan Alexander, 65 survivors of Hamas captivity are calling upon , Trump, and Witkoff to capitalize on the current momentum and ensure it doesn’t stall.

The letter from the survivors emphasizes a “genuine opportunity” for the Israeli government to resume negotiations, urging all parties involved to remain engaged until a comprehensive agreement is reached.

Hamas seized 251 hostages on October 7, 2023, including 12 American citizens. Edan Alexander, Keith Siegel, and Sagui Dekel-Chen have been released alive. The body of Hersh Goldberg-Polin was recovered from Gaza in August 2023. Hamas continues to hold the remains of several deceased Americans: Omer Neutra, Itay Chen, Judith Weinstein Haggai, and Gadi Haggai.

Siegel, a signatory of the letter, previously expressed gratitude to Trump for his release, attributing his survival to the president’s efforts. He now joins other former captives in demanding the freedom of those still held in Gaza, “regardless of which citizenship they hold.”

Reportedly, in the days following Alexander’s release, Trump has been pursuing deals for the U.S., some of which could indirectly benefit Israel, though it appears the recent deals are unrelated to the hostage situation.

Trump has proposed that Syria normalize relations with Israel through the Abraham Accords in exchange for sanctions relief. He also stipulated that Damascus would need to deport “Palestinian terrorists,” assist the U.S. in preventing the resurgence of ISIS, and take responsibility for ISIS detention centers in northeast Syria.

Netanyahu’s office has not commented on the letter. The White House has not yet responded to Digital’s request for comment.

Digital’s Bradford Betz contributed to this report.