From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, October 15, 2025
At Sheba Medical Center, parents of released hostages thank Trump, Netanyahu for saving their sons
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleJessica Steinberg, The Times of Israel's culture and lifestyles editor, covers the Sabra scene from south to north and back to the center
Kobi Kalfon, father of released hostage Segev Kalfon, offers words of prayer and praise for the return of his son “to his arms.”
Kalfon tears up as he talks about the hard two years of captivity for Segev, the physical and psychological terror that he had to withstand.
He praises the security forces and soldiers, the Israeli nation and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for “his brave decision to take the deal in two hands and fulfill the mitzvah of saving the captives.”
He also thanks US President Donald Trump, envoy Steve Witkoff, hostage envoy Gal Hirsch, IDF negotiator Nitzan Alon and their hometown community of Dimona.
He says that just as Moses fulfilled the pledge of taking Joseph’s bones with him when he left Egypt, so must all the bodies of the hostages be brought home to Israel.
“Enough separation,” says Kalfon of his wish for the nation. “Our strength is in our unity.”
Ruhama Bohbot, the mother of released hostage Elkana Bohbot, says that welcoming her son home is like a rebirth, a personal redemption.
Bohbot says that from now on, she and her son will celebrate a new birthday — the day he was released home from captivity.
Like the other families, she thanks President Trump, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner “for putting all their weight behind this deal so that it would happen,” along with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, hostage envoy Gal Hirsch and IDF hostage negotiator Nitzan Alon.
Julie Kuperstein, mother of released hostage Bar Kuperstein, says she dreamed of this moment of standing and saying thank you. Kuperstein says she knew and felt that Bar and the family were in God’s hands.
She calls Netanyahu and Trump “emissaries of God” for bringing about the release of the remaining hostages.
She says that her son Bar, and her husband, Tal, who suffered a stroke during surgery prior to October 7, and relearned how to speak and stand during the last two years, have learned what courage is.
Tal Kuperstein calls his son “a real hero.”
“He returned our smiles to us,” says Kuperstein.
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