Hostage families cautiously welcome deal, plead for government to fully uphold it

The Hostage and Missing Families Forum welcomes the hostage release-ceasefire deal that will come into effect Sunday but says that its fight won’t end until all 98 of the hostages are returned to Israel from captivity in Gaza.

Ninety-four hostages have been in captivity since the October 7, 2023, Hamas onslaught in southern Israel, while two others — Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed have been held captive by the terror group since 2014 and 2015 respectively.

Hamas has also held the bodies of slain IDF soldiers Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul for over a decade after they were killed in the 2014 Operation Protective Edge.

“This is an important and significant step that brings us closer to the moment when we will see all of the hostages return — the living for rehabilitation with their families and the fallen for a proper burial in their country,” the forum says.

“However, the journey has only just begun and will not end until the last hostage is returned.”

The group demands that the Israeli government remain committed to ensuring “the full implementation of the agreement until the last hostage is returned.”

“The announcement of the signing [of a deal] does not allow for joy or relief among the families. Our breath will be held until all our loved ones return home.”