In a powerful and deeply personal interview published by the Metro on October 14, 2025, Hungarian Holocaust survivor Agnes Kory offered a sobering perspective on the aftermath of the recent ceasefire in Gaza. Now 81, Kory is not only a survivor of one of history’s darkest chapters but also an active member of the Holocaust Survivors and Descendants group, which has been a visible presence at pro-Palestinian demonstrations in London. Her words, shaped by her own traumatic experiences during World War II, cast a long shadow over what many hoped would be a turning point for Gaza’s embattled population.
Kory’s assessment of the situation in Gaza is unflinching. Despite the much-publicized ceasefire and hostage exchange—brokered in part by former U.S. President Donald Trump—she remains unconvinced that the suffering of Palestinian children is anywhere near its end. As she told Metro reporter Luke Alsford, “After I survived, nobody was trying to bomb me and kill me anymore. There was an end to the atrocities, but I don’t see any end for the Palestinian children. I am not convinced that these people in Gaza will not continue to be under threat of being killed and hurt.”
The ceasefire agreement, hailed in some quarters as a diplomatic breakthrough, saw all 20 living hostages released by Hamas. In return, more than 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and detainees remain in Israeli detention. Israeli forces have withdrawn to a pre-arranged position within the Gaza Strip, yet still occupy roughly half of the territory. For many, these developments suggest a step toward peace. For Kory, however, the reality is far more complicated and grim.
“The Israeli government does not want a Palestinian state,” she stated bluntly. “I don’t believe that there is any peace coming to the Palestinians.” Kory’s skepticism is rooted in both her personal history and her close observation of events in the region. Born in Budapest in December 1944, mere months after Nazi Germany invaded Hungary, Kory survived infancy under a false name while her mother hid with forged papers. Her family’s suffering was immense: her aunt returned from Auschwitz with harrowing stories, and her father endured the horrors of the Mauthausen concentration camp. These experiences, she said, have left her “haunted” for life.
Yet, as Kory pointed out, her own ordeal ended with the defeat of the Nazis. “Once the Holocaust was over I had equal rights with everybody else,” she recalled. “The Palestinians, including the Palestinian children, they still don’t have equal rights like with Jewish citizens of Israel.” According to Metro, Kory is deeply troubled by the prospect that, even after the withdrawal of Israeli forces from major cities, Gazans will not be permitted to live what she calls a “proper life.” The future of the enclave remains clouded by uncertainty, with a temporary ‘Board of Peace’ led by Tony Blair due to govern the region.
Her criticism of the ceasefire agreement is scathing. “The ceasefire is just a con. Mr Trump was keen to get his Nobel Prize. They’re not even getting the whole of Gaza back. So the big concentration camp where they once lived, now it’s going to be a smaller concentration camp.” She also noted that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made it clear that the ceasefire hinges on Palestinian behavior, warning that it could be revoked at any time. “Netanyahu did announce that if the Palestinians don’t behave, then the ceasefire will stop, so the Israelis are still the rulers.”
Kory’s activism is not new. Since arriving in the UK in 1965 to train as a cellist, she has devoted much of her life to Holocaust research and remembrance. Over the past two years, she has become increasingly vocal about the parallels she sees between her own childhood and the plight of Gazan children. “All the children in Gaza now will be damaged for life, and they have had a sustained campaign against them. They had to live in fear for two years. They were starved.”
According to the United Nations Development Programme, more than 80% of buildings in Gaza have been destroyed or damaged during the conflict. The UN Commission of Inquiry concluded in September that Israel was committing genocide in Gaza, with over 65,000 Palestinians confirmed killed, including more than 18,000 children. A famine was officially declared in August 2025. The UK government, however, has disagreed with the UN’s assessment, a position echoed by Israel, which denies the allegations.
Despite the devastation, Kory acknowledges the remarkable resilience of the Palestinian people. “Human nature can be resilient. The Palestinians did show amazing, astonishing resilience. Presumably a lot of them will be hopeful because if you don’t hope, you cannot live.” Still, she fears the psychological scars will be deep and enduring, much like her own. “I have had a good life, which was haunted by memories and the memories of my family.”
Her condemnation of Israel’s actions is especially pointed when it comes to the narrative that these are carried out in the name of Holocaust survivors and Jews worldwide. “A lot of what Israel does is supposed to be doing in the name of Holocaust survivors, in the name of Jews. I resent that. I’m outraged by it. It’s definitely not in my name.” She is equally critical of what she describes as “the ingrained dishonesty” of both Netanyahu and Trump, suggesting that the ceasefire was more about political posturing than genuine peace. “That’s not a war. It was a killing field and what else can you call a killing field? It’s a genocide.”
Kory’s voice joins a growing chorus of Holocaust survivors and their descendants who have spoken out against what they see as atrocities committed in Gaza. The group she is part of, Holocaust Survivors and descendants against Gaza genocide, has been active in protests and marches, challenging the official narratives and drawing uncomfortable parallels between past and present.
As the rubble settles—literally and figuratively—in Gaza, the questions raised by Agnes Kory’s testimony remain unresolved. Will the children of Gaza ever know safety, equality, or a sense of normalcy? Or will their memories, like Kory’s, be forever haunted by the violence and fear they endured? For now, her warnings ring clear: peace on paper does not always mean peace in practice, and the wounds of war, especially for children, seldom heal quickly or completely.
