Hostage families at Ichilov Hospital omit Netanyahu, government, from their message of thanks

By Rossella Tercatin

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14 October 2025, 10:48 pm

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Rossella Tercatin is The Times of Israel's archaeology and religions reporter.

Viki Cohen, the mother of former hostage Nimrod Cohen, speaks at Ichilov Medical Center, in Tel Aviv, October 14, 2025. (Alon Gilboa/Hostages and Missing Families Forum)

The relatives of several newly-released hostages do not mention Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in their message of thanks as they address reporters at the Ichilov Hospital, where their loved ones are receiving medical treatment.

Lishay Lavi and Dani Miran, wife and father of Omri Miran, Viki Cohen, mother of Nimrod Cohen, Anat Angrest, mother of Matan Angrest, and former hostage Iair Horn, whose brother Eitan was released yesterday, take the opportunity of their statements to the press to express their gratitude to those who supported their struggle and helped achieve the deal that brought back the last twenty living hostages in Gaza.

They mention, among others, the people of Israel, the IDF, US President Donald Trump, and several American officials, and the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, but omit Netanyahu and the government.

“As I look at my son, it is hard for me to think that there were those who were ready to give up on him,” says Anat Angrest. “It is hard for me to think that the deal that returned my Matan was signed despite some [political] leaders and not thanks to them.”

“Thanks to those government ministers who did care and acted on it,” says Viki Cohen, the only one referring to Israeli officials.

The families address the press while holding pictures of deceased hostages whose bodies have not yet been returned by Hamas, and vow to continue fighting for them.

“We have the moral responsibility, all of us hostage families, to continue to support the families of the deceased who have not been brought back to Israel for a respectful burial,” says Dani Miran.

“The Israeli government has the responsibility to fulfill the deal as it is written,” he adds. “We cannot go on with the implementation of the next phase of the deal until this one is completed.

Miran stresses that if the bodies are not returned, “it should be considered a violation of the deal and Israel should be allowed to fight in Gaza again.”