South Carolina celebrates release of Israeli hostages: ‘A ripple effect of peace’

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WSPA) – The return of 20 Israeli hostages, after years of uncertainty held by Hamas, is connecting with people across the world and in South Carolina. Members of both the Jewish community and state leaders said it’s a special moment.

When news broke that hostages were being released as part of a brokered peace deal in the Middle East, celebrations of hope and relief spread — even thousands of miles away in the Palmetto State.

Jessie Dowsakul, Executive Director of the Columbia Jewish Federation, said the moment is deeply personal – not only as a Jew, but as part of a tight-knit community.

“If you hurt one Jewish individual, you hurt an entire community. We all stand up and stand proud together,” Dowsakul said.

For many, including Dowsakul, the release marks a step toward healing. South Carolina State Representative Beth Bernstein (D – Richland), agrees.

Bernstein is one of the state’s most vocal advocates for Israel and a member of the South Carolina-Israel Caucus. She traveled to Israel earlier this year as part of an Israeli government-sponsored trip with other state lawmakers.

That visit included a stop at the Nova Festival memorial, a site honoring the lives lost in the October 2023 attack.

“To see all of those young people who were brutally massacred, and to have some relief now to know that these 20 hostages have finally been released is just really gratifying,” Bernstein said. “It’s a sense of release, happiness, optimism — hopefully we can have peace in that area.”

She added, “This state does support Israel and its leadership in a bipartisan way. There are Palestinians who are really suffering in the area, and we want to make sure that their rights are protected as well.”

The connection between peace abroad and local communities is very important. Dowsakul emphasized, Jewish communities in South Carolina feel the reverberations of conflict and peace alike.

“Without peace, we can’t function. We can’t go to our Jewish day schools, to our synagogues. Peace is non-negotiable,” Dowsakul said. “If there’s peace in the Middle East that stems to here in Columbia, in South Carolina, it’s a ripple effect.”

In a statement posted on X, Governor Henry McMaster weighed in. He praised former President Donald Trump’s role in brokering the deal that led to the hostage release.

State leaders noted South Carolina maintains strong cultural and economic relationships with Israel, and bipartisan support for the U.S.-Israel alliance has remained steady in the General Assembly.