Skip to main content

A huge miracle

Hostage Gadi Moses' son: "Here's what kept my father going"

Yair Moses, whose father Gadi survived 483 days in captivity, delivers emotional speech at Hostages Square: "We can celebrate returns, but we can't afford euphoria - not until every last hostage is home"

Gila Isaacson
Gila Isaacson
2 min read
Yair Moses

Standing before a crowd at Tel Aviv's Hostages Square Saturday night, Yair Moses – his face newly clean-shaven after months of growing out his beard in solidarity – shared the profound relief of having his 81-year-old father back home from Hamas captivity.

"Look at my face, and you'll know – our father is home," Yair told the gathered crowd, emotion evident in his voice. "There aren't happier people in the world right now. We get to hug and kiss my father, our Grandpa Gadi, again."

"Light has returned to our world through this life-saving deal," he continued. "It's nothing short of a miracle to have my father back alive after sixteen months of relentless struggle, months filled with terror, sleepless nights, and moments when we could barely breathe."

Speaking about his father's remarkable resilience, Yair reflected on Gadi's inner strength: "We always knew dad was mentally tough, but he proved to be even stronger than we could have imagined."

"He's a true son of Israel – salt of the earth – who raised us believing in mutual responsibility and love of country. He built a kibbutz, helped settle the Negev, fortified our borders. His whole life has been about building and creating. The moment he got back, his first words were about rebuilding Nir Oz. That's the foundation of values we were raised on."

Yair expressed deep gratitude to the protest movement: "To the people of Israel, who share these values and have fought alongside us every single day for the hostages' return – thank you from the depths of our hearts. Dad told us he could sense the rallies and feel the public support even in captivity. It gave him strength during his darkest moments."

Looking ahead to the upcoming negotiations, Yair noted: "The next round of talks begins in two days. This is a critical phase in securing everyone's release. We cannot – must not – pause for even a moment. We're calling on the Israeli government to ensure this next phase moves forward. No one can be left behind."

He concluded with a powerful reminder: "While we should celebrate each return, we can't afford to lose focus. We must maintain full pressure until every last hostage is home. There are families still waiting to reunite with their loved ones, and families who need to give their fallen proper burial in Israel. That will be our true victory."


Loading comments...