On Tuesday, several recently freed Israeli hostages met in Tel Aviv with US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and former senior White House adviser Jared Kushner, to thank them for their role in securing the deal that led to their release after more than two years in captivity.
The meeting included Omri Miran, Gali Berman, Ziv Berman, Yosef-Chaim Ohana, Matan Angrest, Bar Kupershtein, Segev Kalfon, Nimrod Cohen, and Eitan Horn, all of whom were released last Monday as part of what US officials and Israeli leaders have described as a “historic agreement.”
According to a statement from the Hostages and Missing Families Forum Headquarters, the former captives expressed “profound gratitude” to President Donald Trump for making their freedom a top priority and “working tirelessly” to help bring them home.
The group also appealed to Witkoff and Kushner to maintain pressure and diplomatic efforts to free the 15 hostages still held in Gaza, urging them to “leave no stone unturned” until every captive is returned.
US 'steadfast dedication to the mission'
During the meeting, Witkoff reaffirmed what he called the United States’ “steadfast dedication to the mission,” and voiced confidence in continued progress toward securing the release of those still missing.
Kushner, who served as a senior adviser in the Trump administration and has maintained involvement in regional diplomacy, has been working with Witkoff in recent months on what US officials have described as “peace missions” in the region - focused on humanitarian recovery, reconstruction, and hostage negotiations.
During the meeting, Matan Angrest and his family presented a gift to the two representatives for President Donald Trump, along with a letter of appreciation from Kiryat Bialik Mayor Eli Dukorsky as a thank you for bringing the remaining hostages back to Israel. The mayor shared this letter as a token of gratitude for bringing the city’s own resident, Angrest, back home.
In the letter, Mayor Dukorsky expressed his deep appreciation to President Trump for his leadership, commitment to justice, and unwavering support for the State of Israel. He also announced that the new stadium currently under construction in the city will be named after the president, to be named the “Donald J. Trump Stadium” in honor of his historic contribution to saving the lives of the hostages and bringing them home.
Mayor Dukorsky said, “President Trump’s efforts on behalf of the hostages will be remembered for generations. He demonstrated courage, compassion, and a true love for the people of Israel. The residents of Kiryat Bialik owe him a deep debt of gratitude.”