Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, sent a warm handwritten note to the 20 Israeli hostages who were freed by Hamas after more than two years. The note in Hebrew said, “On behalf of all Israelis, welcome back! We have been waiting for you. We embrace you. – Sara and Benjamin Netanyahu.”
Netanyahu’s office posted the message on X. It also showed the welcome kits given to each returning hostage. The kits include clothes, personal items, a laptop, a phone, and a tablet. These gifts aim to help them reconnect with their families and restart daily life.
The hostages were taken during Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel. Their names include Matan Angrest, the Berman twins, and Avinatan Or, among others. Their release marks the first phase of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.
Under US President Donald Trump’s new peace plan, Hamas will free the remaining 47 hostages, both living and deceased. In exchange, Israel will release around 2,000 Palestinian detainees. Trump announced that the “war is over” and is traveling to Israel and Egypt to promote his peace plan for Gaza and the Middle East.
