Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday sent a welcoming message to Yarden Bibas, Ofer Kalderon and Keith Siegal, who were freed earlier in the day from captivity in the Gaza Strip, stressing Israel’s commitment to bring all remaining hostages home and achieve the goals of the war.
“Ofer, Yarden, Keith—It is so good to see you home! Together with all citizens of Israel, and together with many around the world, my wife and I were so moved to see you with us,” Netanyahu said in a recorded statement.
“Earlier this week, in the previous phase, we made it very clear that we would not tolerate any violation of the agreement. We insisted on this and we brought forward by a week the release of three of our hostages,” the premier continued, referring to returnees Agam Berger, 20, Arbel Yehud, 29, and Gadi Mozes, 80.
Netanyahu further emphasized Jerusalem’s demand of Hamas to allow the safe release of the hostages, “after the scenes that we all saw the day before yesterday [when Yehud was surrounded by a threatening Gazan mob], we demanded a safe exit for our hostages in the coming releases.
“As you saw today, this steadfast stand proved itself. The message was delivered, received and carried out. Israel expects that all of the coming phases also be carried out safely,” he said.
“Citizens of Israel, in the last two weeks, we have succeeded in releasing 13 of our hostages, and five Thai nationals who were also held by Hamas,” the prime minister continued.
“At this time our thoughts are all with Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas, and all of our hostages, the living and the deceased, who have yet to return home.
“We will continue to take determined action to bring them back home, and achieve all of our objectives for the war. With God’s help, we will do it and we will succeed,” Netanyahu said.
Of the 251 hostages taken on Oct. 7, 2023, 175 have been returned or rescued, and Hamas is believed to be holding 35 bodies, 34 of them taken during the cross-border invasion and that of IDF Lt. Hadar Goldin, which was taken by the Palestinian terrorist group in 2014.
