Ella, whose father Ohad Ben-Ami was released from Hamas captivity on Saturday, delivered remarks to the press on Sunday at Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv.
She recited the "Shechiyanu" blessing and opened her remarks: "'I need help, they kidnapped my father.' That was the first sentence that left my mouth on October 7th when I called (news anchor) Danny Kushmaro on Channel 12, and until yesterday this conversation was the hardest thing for me to hear. My father, the study rock in my life, was abducted and in that call, you can hear my terrible helplessness. 'I saw his picture on Gazan news, he's in Gaza.' Those were the next words, and like that, the State of Israel, at 12 noon on that terrible day, learned that people were abducted to Gaza.
"Yesterday, a year and four months later, I sat and watched his release. The last memory I have of my father is the picture of him in a torn shirt and boxers, being led by two terrorists. While we waited for him to exit the Hamas vehicle, many images went through my head. Through all these months too, I had many images in my head. But nothing prepared me for what I saw on my father's face and body yesterday when he made his first steps back into the world," she added.
She said painfully: "I trusted myself that I would see him and I'd be strong, I wouldn't break, and the moment he walked in front of me on the screen, I fell on the floor and screamed: 'Sorry.' When he walked up on stage, I looked at his shoulders, at his clavicle, at the thinness, at the fragility, and the drooping face. The screaming and crying did not stop, 'Oof' I screamed. Because yes, what you all saw on television yesterday, the difficult, terrible scenes that make you want to throw the television on the floor - that is my father.
"My father went through horrors, we haven't even begun to hear and delve deep into the inferno and hell that he was in, to our luck, we have the rest of our lives with him now. But there, 76 hostages were left behind, 76 of our brothers, they are deep in the Hamas tunnels, deep in the darkness, deep in hell, and deep under the hands of the terrorists who are responsible for October 7th. If at first, my life's mission was to convey the urgency of freeing the hostages, now that my father returned, I understand how much worse it was than I thought."
All this being said, she stressed: "My father is home. My father is inspirational, since after a year and four months in the tunnels, he ran to us the moment he saw us. My father talks so much about how he got a second chance at life, I adore you, Dad. He survived as a hero and left with an uplifted head - I told you about him for so many months and now he's here and is totally proving how special he is.
"Dear people of Israel, I discovered our strength as a nation over the past few months, the strength we have together, the will to always be there for the other, and the giant embrace and support that you gave me during this time. I love you and thank each and every one of you. My father is home, he's strong and is already talking about going out to fight to bring the hostages home since he can't think that there are people left behind in the conditions that he was in. He asked in his words to thank everyone and at the same time to ask not to stop for a moment, don't stop, keep sounding the voice of those who can not speak, until the last hostage."
She demanded that the hostages be brought back quickly: "We will not give up until the last hostage is home. The second phase of the deal that will bring all the hostages home must be implemented, there's no other choice, we can not let them perish there, there is no other way. I call on the Cabinet, you saw the pictures yesterday with us, you understand that we must return all of them, don't ignore it, find a way for it to happen as fast as possible."