"I Stayed Up All Night and Cried": Jared Kushner Reveals Personal Devastation of October 7th

Jared Kushner, the former senior advisor to President Donald Trump and his son-in-law, has broken his silence on the emotional impact of the October 7th Hamas attack on Israel, detailing a night of personal anguish and his subsequent efforts to aid in the hostage crisis.

Kushner revealed that he and his wife, Ivanka Trump, were attending a friend’s wedding when initial reports and horrifying footage of the massacres began flooding his phone. The barbaric nature of the attacks left him fundamentally altered. “October 7th for me was a shattering day,” Kushner said, visibly holding back tears. “And seeing these horrific barbaric acts shocked me to my core in a way that I’ll never be the same. Since then, my heart has not been complete.”

The personal shock led to an emotional breakdown that night. “I went back to my hotel room and stayed up all night and cried,” he confessed. He described the efforts to secure the release of the captives as a profound responsibility. "It’s been a tremendous burden on me to make sure these hostages come home and for their families to get the closure they deserve and to finally end this nightmare.”

Instrumental Role in the Exchange

Kushner’s personal distress quickly translated into diplomatic action. Recent reports have highlighted that Kushner and real estate developer Steve Witkoff were crucial in helping to broker the recent agreement that secured the release of all 20 living Israeli hostages, alongside the return of the bodies of 28 murdered captives.

The deal, which was facilitated through mediation by officials from the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt, was hailed as a significant humanitarian breakthrough and underlines the continued, though often quiet, involvement of key American figures in high-stakes diplomacy. Kushner, who was a central architect of the Abraham Accords during the previous administration, remains a key figure in international efforts related to Israel’s security and regional stability.

Praising IDF Bravery

In his address, Kushner extended deep gratitude to the Israeli military for its conduct during the campaign. “I want to thank the amazing soldiers of the IDF,” he said, asserting that the diplomatic breakthrough would have been impossible without their efforts. “Without their heroism, brilliance, and bravery, this deal would not have been possible.”

He praised the military for upholding ethical standards even while facing brutal terror, declaring, "Instead of replicating the barbarity of the enemy, you chose to be exceptional, standing firm in the values you represent." He concluded by affirming his strong connection to the Jewish state: “I couldn’t be prouder to be a friend of Israel, to support Israel, and to fight for its survival and success.”