The Coordinator for the Hostages and the Missing in the Prime Minister's Office, Brig.-Gen. (Res.) Gal Hirsch responded Saturday to Hamas' repeated violations of the ceasefire-prisoner swap deal, and the horrific condition of the three hostages released Saturday.
"Today three of our hostages were returned to Israel: Or Levy, Ohad Ben-Ami and Eli Sharabi," he began. "The shocking images we have seen today touch all of our hearts and are added to the living and burning memory of October 7, 2023."
"The State of Israel views with grave concern the repeated violations of Hamas, and with even greater concern the condition of the three hostages released this morning. This will not go unaddressed. The message was conveyed to the mediators and measures will be taken accordingly."
He added, "Together with the families, we embrace Eli, Ohad and Or. We have prepared for their return. We will assist in their rehabilitation following a long and excruciating period of captivity."
"Seventy-six hostages still remain in Hamas captivity, the living and the deceased. We're monitoring meticulously the implementation of the first stage of the agreement, while also actively preparing for what comes next.
"The Government of Israel is fully committed to returning everyone, and along with the entire security apparatus acts relentlessly to return our hostages home."
Former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant also responded to the freed hostages' conditions, saying, "The horrific pictures of them are now being shown to the world, and prove the serious and worrying condition of some of the hostages, and the deterioration of their health, which was known to Israel throughout the period." He added that this further shows the urgency of the deal, and that Israel must "return the hostages. Releasing captives is a Jewish, moral, and ethically correct act."
"This is the declared purpose of the war, and a value which generations of fighters were educated on. We do not leave injured in the field. We will continue to hit the Hamas terror group and settle accounts with the murderers. I hope for the quick return of all the hostages, and support their family members, with the hope that they will soon embrace their loved ones."