In a deeply personal gesture, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, penned handwritten notes for the 20 hostages recently released by Hamas after over two years in captivity. The notes, tucked into welcome kits brimming with clothing, laptops, mobile phones, and tablets, carry a heartfelt message: "On behalf of the entire people of Israel, welcome back! We have been waiting for you. We embrace you. Sara and Benjamin Netanyahu." Shared on X by the Prime Minister’s office, the note has struck a chord with a nation yearning for healing after a grueling conflict.
The freed hostages, part of the first phase of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire, include Bar Abraham Kupershtein, Evyatar David, Yosef-Chaim Ohana, Segev Kalfon, Avinatan Or, Elkana Bohbot, Maxim Herkin, Nimrod Cohen, Matan Angrest, Matan Zangauker, Eitan Horn, Eitan Abraham Mor, Gali Berman, Ziv Berman, Omri Miran, Alon Ohel, Guy Gilboa-Dalal, Rom Braslavski, Ariel Cunio, and David Cunio. Their release follows Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack, which killed 1,200 Israelis and saw over 250 abducted, igniting the deadliest war in Gaza’s history.
The ceasefire, a cornerstone of U.S. President Donald Trump’s roadmap, marks a turning point. Trump, who declared the "war is over" on October 13, 2025, is en route to Israel to meet hostages’ families before co-hosting a summit in Egypt with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and over 20 world leaders. The summit aims to cement peace and chart Gaza’s postwar future, including a multinational force to replace Israel’s partial withdrawal and a U.S.-led command center in Israel. A massive influx of humanitarian aid is also underway to alleviate Gaza’s dire famine and homelessness crisis, where over 2 million have been displaced.
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Hamas is expected to release the remaining 47 hostages, living and dead, while Israel prepares to free approximately 2,000 Palestinian detainees, including those convicted of attacks and others held without charge. The exchange, a delicate dance of diplomacy, has sparked hope but also tension, with Israel warning against celebrations in the West Bank to avoid unrest.
The war’s toll is staggering: since 2023, over 67,000 lives have been lost, with Gaza’s infrastructure in ruins from Israel’s retaliatory strikes. The conflict, rooted in decades of tension—Israel’s 1967 seizure of Gaza, Hamas’s 2007 takeover, and prior wars in 2008, 2012, 2014, and 2021—has left scars on both sides. For Israelis, the hostages’ return is a bittersweet triumph, closing a chapter marked by yellow ribbons, weekly protests, and accusations of political stalling against Netanyahu.
As the freed hostages reunite with loved ones at Reim military base, the nation holds its breath for those still unaccounted for. An international task force is mobilizing to locate any remains within days, while Trump’s bold plan faces scrutiny: can it deliver lasting peace, or will Gaza’s fragile truce crumble? For now, Netanyahu’s note offers a flicker of warmth to those stepping out of darkness, a symbol of a nation’s embrace amid an uncertain dawn.
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