From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, May 13, 2025
After body of soldier missing since 1982 recovered, Netanyahu says he’ll bring back all hostages
Nava Freiberg is The Times of Israel's deputy diplomatic correspondent.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel is working “day and night” to return all hostages remaining in Gaza, after the brother of a soldier who went missing 43 years ago and was brought back to Israel this week thanked him for not giving up.
“I was deeply moved to hear the words of Itzik Feldman at the funeral of his brother,” writes Netanyahu on X.
On Sunday, Israel announced that it had recovered the remains of Sgt. First Class Zvi Feldman, who went missing along with two other troops during the battle of Sultan Yacoub during the First Lebanon War in 1982.
התרגשתי עד עומק הלב לשמוע את דבריו של איציק פלדמן בהלוויה של אחיו, סמ”ר צבי פלדמן ז”ל, שנפל בלבנון.
המילים שלו ביטאו כאב גדול – אבל גם תקווה ואמונה.
אנחנו לא עוצרים לרגע. פועלים יומם וליל כדי להחזיר את כל הבנים והבנות שלנו – את כל חטופינו. pic.twitter.com/IMfpmSOzbY
— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) May 13, 2025
A video attached to the prime minister’s post shows Feldman speaking at his brother’s funeral yesterday, recalling a protest families held some 30 years ago demanding the return of Feldman and other presumed captives. Netanyahu spoke to the families and promised to bring them home, he says.
“His words expressed immense pain — but also hope and faith. We’re not stopping for a moment. We’re working day and night to bring back all our sons and daughters — all our hostages,” says the premier.
The Times of Israel Community.