Reunion of Freed Israeli Hostages
After more than two years, on Monday, 20 freed Israeli hostages were joyfully reunited with their families. Many of them expressed gratitude towards former President Donald Trump and his administration for facilitating this long-awaited moment.
Noah Al-Ghamani, who was kidnapped alongside his partner Abinatan Orr by Hamas militants on October 7, 2023, was overjoyed to be back with the “love of his life.” He said, “It’s been two years since I last saw Abinatan. They separated us in front of so many people.” Al-Ghamani recounted his captivity of 246 days while Abinatan endured 738 days. “I came back thanks to a heroic rescue mission, and Abinatan came home through an agreement. Yet, against all odds, we’re back together!”
In what was an emotional moment, Al-Ghamani reflected on reuniting with Abinatan, stating, “Words cannot express the mix of emotions I felt when I finally saw him again after such a long time. We both faced death numerous times, and now, we can take our first steps together again in our homeland.”
On social media, Al-Ghamani expressed appreciation for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the U.S. government, specifically acknowledging individuals like White House envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, as “exceptional.”
Rishay Milan-Ravi also voiced her thanks towards Trump and his team. Her husband, Omri Milan, was taken captive right before her and their two daughters on that fateful day. It was particularly heartbreaking, as their youngest child, Alma, was only six months old at the time of the kidnapping and came to know her father only through posters. “It was unreal when Roni and Alma ran into Omri’s arms and heard him say ‘daddy’ again,” she shared. “That moment fulfilled a promise made on October 7th, healing something indescribable.”
Milan-Ravi expressed her gratitude publicly, saying, “Thank you, Mr. President, for your unwavering efforts to bring back Mr. Omri and the others. You made our mission your own and stood by us throughout.” She also acknowledged Secretary of State Marco Rubio for his commitment to ensure hostages were never forgotten.
In various news conferences, the families of several hostages, including Nimrod Cohen’s mother and others, reiterated their thanks to Trump’s administration. Their emotional testimony highlighted the support they received during this challenging time.
Later that day, President Trump addressed the Israeli parliament, noting, “This week, we achieved the impossible and brought the hostages home.” During his first ten months in office, he had made promises to secure the return of the hostages and, ultimately, to conclude the conflict.
