From the Liveblog of
Monday, October 13, 2025
Ben Gvir, after voting against ceasefire deal, cheers hostages’ release
Ariela Karmel is a political correspondent at The Times of Israel. She previously reported for Calcalist and Haaretz. She holds an MA in Middle Eastern and African History from Tel Aviv University and a BA in Political Science from the University of British Columbia.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir posts a short message on X, “And the children shall return to their border,” as the first seven Israeli hostages are released and transferred into IDF custody, despite having voted against the deal that secured their release.
The biblical verse is commonly cited in Israel to express hope for the return of captives.
Ben Gvir and his far-right Otzma Yehudit party oppose the current US-brokered ceasefire and corresponding release of the remaining hostages in exchange for Palestinian security prisoners. The party argues that freeing the Palestinian prisoners endangers Israel and rewards Hamas.
The minister has opposed all previous ceasefire deals and has boasted that he foiled previous ceasefire and hostage-release proposals over the course of the two-year war.
The Times of Israel Community.