Einav Zangauker received the video published by Hamas of her abducted son, Matan, movements before the weekly rally for the hostages in Tel Aviv.
She was in the car, and when Matan began speaking, she could not hold back her tears. "My beloved, you'll return home, we will do everything," she promised. "You aren't dead, we aren't forgetting you."
Following the publication of the video, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke this evening with Einav.
The Prime Minister Told Einav that he understands well the extreme suffering that Matan, all the hostages, and their families are going through. During the conversation, the Prime Minister told her that Israel is working to utilize all possibilities created to advance the negotiations. The Prime Minister said that he will continue to work determinedly and in every way to bring Matan and all the hostages back home - the living and dead alike."
The Hostages Families Forum stated: "Matan Zangauker, 24, was taken captive from Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7th during the early morning Hamas attack. He was abducted alongside his partner, Ilana Gritzewsky Camhi, who was released as part of a hostage deal after enduring 55 days in captivity."
"The release of Matan's video, coming just one week after Edan Alexander's, provides further evidence that after more than 420 days in captivity, there are hostages still alive and enduring severe suffering. Through these 420 days of ongoing abuse, malnutrition, and confinement in darkness, the critical need to secure the return of all 100 remaining hostages becomes more urgent with each passing hour. As time grows increasingly precious, we urge all parties involved in negotiations to explore every available path and apply all possible forms of pressure — these hostages' lives hang by a thread."