
President Isaac Herzog today (Thursday) hosted bereaved families, families of hostages, and reservists at the President’s Residence, where they presented him with a declaration of support for the current hostage deal aimed at returning all 98 hostages.
In their declaration, the families expressed their support for Israel’s political and security leadership, urging immediate action to bring back all hostages and ensure the future and security of the State of Israel.
The families who participated in the meeting included the family of Captain Omer Neutra, the family of Lieutenant Harel Shrem, the family of Staff Sergeant Ben Zussman, the family of Bar Kupershtein, and the mother of Yotam Haim.
President Herzog said at the start of the meeting: "First, I want to embrace and once again comfort all the bereaved families here. Some of you we already know so well. This year, we met and consoled over a thousand families from across the diverse tapestry of the people of Israel."
“I want to strengthen the families of the hostages who are present here. From the depths of my heart, I say that truly everything must be done to bring everyone home—everyone. Of course, I support the proposed deal; it is the right, just, and necessary thing to do. This is a deal that encompasses all the hostages and must be implemented at every stage," he said.
The President added, “This is an essential element of our national resilience and reflects our values of mutual responsibility and unity. Unity is critical, and the nation desires it far more than what is sometimes reflected in the national and media discourse."
“Right now, what we must do is provide full backing. There is a tough negotiation over a very significant detail, and I hope and expect that it will be concluded as quickly as possible. God willing, we will start seeing them come home. If we do not bring them home, we will be left with a scar that will remain with our people for generations. We must do everything—everything—to bring them back!” Herzog concluded.