The Sanhedrin issued a sweeping religious and political declaration this week, calling the release of Israeli hostages from Hamas captivity a fulfillment of biblical prophecy and demanding immediate action on three fronts: nationwide gatherings with the freed captives, Israeli sovereignty over all of Gaza, and the execution of every terrorist who murdered Jews.

The rabbinic court, which claims lineage to the ancient 71-member tribunal that convened in the Temple, framed the hostage releases as the beginning of prophecies foretold by Isaiah and Zechariah coming to pass before the eyes of the Jewish people. “Our eyes see how many prophecies of the prophets have already been fulfilled before our eyes, and some continue to be fulfilled in our days,” the Sanhedrin declared. “We are certain that the remaining prophecies will also be fulfilled soon.”

The Sanhedrin’s statement draws on Isaiah 9:1 to interpret the hostages’ experience: “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined” (Isaiah 9:1). According to the court, “The hostages felt tangibly that God was close to them, despite being in complete darkness and despite sitting in the land of the shadow of death.”

The Sanhedrin cited statements from Rabbi David Abuhatzeira and Rabbi Shlomo Yehuda, a highly regarded spiritual leader known as HaYenuka, as identifying the hostages as representatives chosen by God for all of Israel. The court connected their release to King David’s words: “If I ascend up into heaven, Thou art there; if I make my bed in the nether-world, behold, Thou art there” (Psalms 139:8). “When a person succeeds and ascends to heaven in any area, he feels that the Holy One, Blessed be He, is there. But if a person reaches the depths as the hostages reached, everyone says ‘behold, You are here’—God is here, right before me,” the Sanhedrin explained.

The statement emphasized that because the hostages represent all of Israel, “each one of us must experience and internalize what the hostages felt in closeness to God, who always loves us.”

The rabbinic court issued a direct call: “The Sanhedrin court calls upon anyone who is able to organize assemblies with the hostages so that everyone can hear firsthand the amazing experiences of the hostages, and also to sing soul songs together with God-fearing singers.”

The Sanhedrin urged every Jew to “return to the Torah of joy of the Holy One, Blessed be He,” specifically reviving the practice of maaser sheni (second tithe). The court instructed that each person should collect a tithe from all their income, travel to Jerusalem, and invite “friends, relatives, the poor, bereaved families, orphans and widows—for eating and drinking, and only to rejoice in all the good and give thanks to God.” While the agricultural maaser sheni cannot be fulfilled completely without the Temple altar and ritual purity, the Sanhedrin said a monetary version from one’s earnings can be practiced now.

The statement quoted Deuteronomy 26:11: “And thou shalt rejoice in all the good which the LORD thy God hath given unto thee, and unto thy house, thou, and the Levite, and the stranger that is in the midst of thee.”

The Sanhedrin framed the hostage release as geulah (redemption) in its Torah sense, citing Leviticus 25:49 about redeeming a Jew sold to gentiles. But the court noted that redemption appears in Scripture in three additional contexts: drawing close to God and erasing sins (Isaiah 44:22), freeing land (Leviticus 25:25), and avenging blood through the goel hadam, the blood avenger who is commanded to kill a murderer (Numbers 35:19).

“After we merited the redemption of our captive brothers,” the Sanhedrin declared, “the court calls for immediate organization to fulfill the three other redemptions.”

First, the court called on the people of Israel to draw close to God: “To learn from the freed hostages, who describe the light of God that they saw within the darkness.” The Sanhedrin quoted the hostages themselves: “They kidnapped us because we are Jews, and therefore we must specifically be strong and powerful Jews.”

Second, the Sanhedrin issued a direct instruction to the Israeli government: “We instruct the Government of Israel to apply Israeli sovereignty over all of the Gaza region (as well as Judea and Samaria, Lebanon, and the Bashan). And also to establish a body that will be responsible for planning and managing Jewish settlement in the Gaza region. To strengthen the hands of the settlement nuclei that have already been established for this purpose, of the Nachala movement and additional movements.”

Third, the court commanded all government systems to fulfill Torah law requiring the killing of all terrorists who murdered Jews and were released, as well as Israeli state law: “The Law on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide 1950.” The Sanhedrin drew a direct parallel: “Just as the State of Israel acted in other events in the state’s history, such as after the massacre of the athletes in Munich, and the law of bringing Nazis to justice, so it must do now—to eliminate and execute all the murdering terrorists.”

The hostage crisis began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas terrorists invaded southern Israel, massacring approximately 1,200 people and abducting 251 hostages to Gaza.

Recent developments in hostage negotiations have shown renewed momentum following President Donald Trump’s return to office in January 2025. Trump has taken an aggressive stance on the hostage situation, warning Hamas of severe consequences if the remaining captives are not released. His administration has worked closely with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and regional mediators to pressure Hamas into releasing the hostages. Trump has publicly stated that there will be “hell to pay” in the Middle East if the hostages are not freed, marking a stark shift in American diplomatic tone from the previous administration.

The Sanhedrin’s statement concluded: “May it be God’s will that all the prophecies of the kingdom of God be fulfilled with all abundance, blessing, and joy. With blessings for complete redemption in the kingdom of God, Blessed be He. The Sanhedrin Court.”