From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, October 14, 2025
Families of deceased hostages fume at government letter expressing sorrow for ‘heavy price’ they paid; note also appears to mark first PMO statement saying ‘end of the war’ has been reached
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The families of deceased hostages yesterday received a letter from the government’s office on hostages and missing families, which is run out of the Prime Minister’s Office, expressing sadness at the “heavy price” they have had to pay for “the end of the war and the return of all the hostages.”
Some of the families take to social media to express their agitation that the letter did not apologize for the failure of their government to rescue their loved ones before they were killed in captivity.
“While hearts are filled with hope for the return of all the hostages, our hearts are saddened by the heavy price you paid and that you carry in your hearts. Pain and difficulty that a stranger will never understand. This is the moment to tell you that we do not forget you and your loved ones,” the letter reads.
“Thanks to the heavy price, we ultimately reached the end of the war and the return of all the hostages. For that, we thank you and appreciate you. Forever and ever. We will always remember and never forget,” it says.
The bodies of 24 fallen hostages are still held in Gaza.
Merav Svirsky, sister of Itay Svirsky, who was murdered in captivity and whose body was recovered in December 2024, writes on Facebook, “Sometimes one word is preferable: Sorry.”
Maayan Sherman, whose son Ron Sherman was also killed in captivity, and whose body was recovered in December 2023, posts a picture of the letter, with the added word, “Sorry.”
Katy Beizer, whose son Nik Beizer was killed as a “byproduct” of an IDF airstrike while being held captive, and whose body was recovered in December 2023, wrote on Facebook: “Look what the hostages coordinator sent to me today, instead of sending me Nik. I know that I have been in a bad dream for two years, but I want to understand, is this for real?”
The letter appears to mark the first official statement from the Prime Minister’s Office to speak of Israel having reached “the end of the war.” President Donald Trump has repeatedly said that the war is over, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not done so, and the government has not voted to end the state of war it declared on October 7, 2023.
The Times of Israel Community.