Liran Berman, brother of twins Ziv and Gali Berman, who were abducted from their home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza on Oct. 7, 2023, and held in the Gaza Strip, poses for a portrait at home with his family dog, Barbie, in Or Akiva, Israel, Wednesday, June 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)

They worry that the explosion of hostilities with Iran was distracting from what some believe should be their country’s singular mission.

The retrieval of the bodies of three Israelis taken hostage by Hamas jolted Israelis’ focus back to a conflict that had been overshadowed by the escalating crisis with Iran.