Washington, 21st November 2025
US President Donald Trump hosted nearly all of the former Gaza hostages freed under last month's ceasefire deal, calling them "heroes" as he welcomed the Israeli delegation to the White House.
"You're not a hostage anymore… today you're heroes," Trump told the group in brief remarks released by the White House. Twenty-six former hostages took part in the visit on Thursday, including 17 of the 20 living captives released in the October agreement brokered by Washington.
"It's an honour to get to know all of you," Trump said. "We love you all, and our country loves you all… you're amazing people." He also presented each former hostage with a special presidential coin.
The Israeli delegation of the former captives arrived in Washington on Tuesday and met on Wednesday with a bipartisan group of Congressional lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
The former hostages had said ahead of the visit that they hoped to thank Trump for securing their freedom and urge him to continue pushing for the return of the remains of three hostages still held in Gaza, reports Channel 12.
Thursday's event marked Trump's third time hosting the delegations of the recently freed Israelis, following the two deals he brokered — the first reached in January 2025, when he was president-elect, and the second in October after eight months of renewed fighting.
Several members of the delegation brought personal gifts to the president. Among them was Matan Angrest, whom Trump singled out for praise, noting the excessive brutality he had to endure at the Hamas terrorists due to his service in the IDF.
"Matan was subjected to severe beatings… he went through hell. Matan never broke, and today he's a living testimony to the toughness, heart, and faith of the Jewish people," said Trump, hailing him.
The twin brothers Gali and Ziv Berman presented Trump with a mezuzah that survived the fire Hamas-led gunmen had set in their Kfar Aza home during the Oct 7, 2023, massacre that triggered the Gaza war. They retrieved the mezuzah during their first return to the community since their release on Oct 13.
"To our great hostages who now carry a weight, a story and experience that you never asked for… We will be your friends for life. We will be your advocates for life. We will continue to wear our pins, and we will continue to tell your story," Democratic Representative Haley Stevens said during the meeting, according to a readout from the Israeli embassy.
"Today we were able to bring both sides of the House, Democrats and Republicans, together into one room," said Danny Miran, the father of recently released hostage Omri Miran, who was also part of the delegation.
"This is an opportunity to thank you, American Jewry, and all those who took the trouble and laboured and made efforts to bring these wonderful children home. In less than a month, we will be celebrating Hanukkah – the Festival of Lights – thank you very much for all these lights you have lit for us."
000
