VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — After more than two years of brutal conflict in Gaza, progress toward peace is being felt around the globe— as well as here in Hampton Roads.

On Monday, Hamas released the last 20 living Israeli hostages, marking a significant turning point in a war that began with a deadly attack on Israel. The release coincided with a Middle East peace signing summit led by President Donald Trump and world leaders, where a ceasefire deal was officially set in motion.

“It is a long time coming,” said Alan Ronkin, Regional Director of the American Jewish Committee in Washington, D.C.

Rabbi Israel Zoberman, a local Jewish community leader based in Virginia Beach, echoed that sentiment, calling the news “a sense of relief” for Jewish communities worldwide, including those here at hom

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