In a blend of profound emotional relief and urgent diplomatic pressure, a group of Israeli hostages recently freed from Gaza met this morning with US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, the architects of the ceasefire and hostage-release agreement.
The meeting, held in Tel Aviv, offered a poignant counterpoint to the day's other major development: the official identification of the remains of Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak defender Tal Haimi, whose body was returned from the Gaza Strip late Monday.
"Hugs and Laughter" for the Architects
Approximately half of the hostages released last week under the US-brokered agreement attended the meeting with President Donald Trump’s special representatives. The atmosphere was described by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum as a mix of "hugs and laughter" as the former captives, including Omri Miran, Gali Berman, Ziv Berman, Yosef Chaim Ohana, Matan Angrest, Bar Kupershtein, Segev Kalfon, Nimrod Cohen, and Eitan Horn, shared their appreciation.
Sources from the Hostages Forum indicated that many spoke privately with Kushner and Witkoff, with some presenting small gifts to show gratitude for their role in brokering the deal that ended their two-year captivity.
Crucially, the freed hostages used the moment not only for thanks but for advocacy, urging the US envoys to intensify efforts to retrieve the 15 bodies of fallen captives still held in Gaza. Witkoff reportedly reaffirmed the United States' "steadfast dedication" to completing the mission.
