A group of seven people released from Hamas prisoners are traveling to Washington, D.C. to meet American officials.
Eli Sharabi, Doron Steinbrecher, Keith Siegel, Aviva Siegel, Naama Levy, Omer Shem Tov and Iair Horn will meet with Trump administration officials, according to the Hostage and Missing Family Forum Headquarters.
The released hostages thank the Trump administration for their commitment to bringing all hostages into their homes.
The group will testify first-hand about their experiences in the Hamas tunnels.
The White House supports Israel's decision to halt Gaza aid until Hamas accepts an extension of the ceasefire
Eli Sharabi, an Israeli prisoner of war, who had been held hostage by Hamas in Gaza since October 7, 2023, will be escorted by Hamas before being handed over to the Red Cross of Dale Al-Bara in the central Gaza Strip on Saturday, February 8, 2025. (AP)
The delegation emphasizes to government officials about the need to request Hamas to return all remaining hostages in a single stage.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with Sharabi on Sunday.
“I am deeply grateful for the courageous way you share your experiences, and it's also important to share it with President Trump,” Netanyahu told him. “Our goal is to bring all the hostages into the house. We will not be relentless for a while.”
Sharabi replied that he was happy to be at home and reunited with his family, but emphasized that “the rest of the hostages, especially those still alive, must urgently return to their families.”
“And of course, the fallen hostages, including my brother Yossi, must be brought back for Israeli burial, so their families have graves,” Sharabi said.
Israel agrees to Trump's envoy's temporary Gaza ceasefire extension proposal as the first phase expires: Report
Keith Siegel disembarked from a military helicopter at Tel Aviv Sawaraski Medical Center on February 1, 2025, accompanied by his wife Aviva (on the left). (Getty Images)
on sunday, Israeli officials They announced they had stopped entering all goods and supplies into the Gaza Strip, warning that Hamas would face “additional consequences” if they did not accept the new proposal for an expanded ceasefire. Israeli officials said the decision to suspend aid was made in cooperation with the Trump administration.
The White House supported Israel's move, saying the Jewish state “negotiated in good faith since the beginning of this administration to ensure the release of hostages captured by Hamas terrorists.”
The first phase of the Israeli Hama ceasefire expired on Saturday, including an increase in humanitarian aid. Both sides have not yet negotiated a second phase. Hamas was called to release the remaining dozens of hostages in return for Israel's withdrawal and a permanent ceasefire.
Israeli officials also said on Sunday they supported proposals to extend Ramadan and Passover, or the first phase of the ceasefire on April 20.
US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters at the White House's Oval Office in Washington, DC on February 3, 2025 (Getty Images)
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Under that contract, Hamas will release half of the hostages and the other half on the first day when an agreement is reached on a permanent ceasefire, according to Netanyahu's office.
In the first phase of the ceasefire, Hamas released 25 Israeli hostages and eight other ruins in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Israel has also allowed a surge in humanitarian assistance to pull troops back from much of Gaza and enter the region.
The war began when Hamas launched. Surprising attack On October 7, 2023, it killed about 1,200 people and attracted over 251 people. Hamas still has 59 hostages, of which 32 are believed to be dead.
Israel's attack on Gaza in response to Hamas' attacks killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run government's Ministry of Health. It does not specify how many of the dead are terrorists or civilians.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
