Hostage families say Gaza deal will be ‘hard,’ call for all stages of ceasefire agreement to be fulfilled

Jessica Steinberg, The Times of Israel's culture and lifestyles editor, covers the Sabra scene from south to north and back to the center

Einav Zangauker, mother of hostage Matan Zangauker, speaks during a press conference at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv on January 17, 2025 (Hostages Forum)
Einav Zangauker, mother of hostage Matan Zangauker, speaks during a press conference at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv on January 17, 2025 (Hostages Forum)

As the cabinet convenes to vote on the hostage deal, four hostage family members hold a press conference at Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square.

Einav Zangauker, mother of hostage Matan Zangauker, says she is the closest she’s been in 468 days to hugging her son.

“We can’t let any political considerations ruin this opportunity,” she says.

Zangauker, one of the hostage family members who has repeatedly blamed the government for the hostage situation, protesting daily at Tel Aviv’s Begin rallies, calls on Israelis to join the protests and demand the complete fulfillment of all stages of the deal.

“This deal will shake us all, it will be hard,” says Zangauker. “Join us, my Matan and all the hostages need you with us.”

Anat Angrest, mother of Matan Angrest, a combat soldier who was wounded and taken hostage from his tank on October 7, notes that her son’s name is not on the list of 33 hostages that will be released home in the first stage of the hostage deal.

“You who should have been on the top of the list aren’t even on it,” says Angrest. “We didn’t convince the government over the last 15 months that your blood is worth the same as the others.”

Daniel Lifschitz, Anat Angrest, Einav Zangauker and Michel Illouz, relatives of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, at a press conference at Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square on January 15, 2025. (Screenshot, used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)

The grandson of Oded Lifshitz, 84, who is on the list of 33 hostages, says his grandfather is the only great-grandfather in the world held hostage.

“We didn’t believe that 15 months would pass that a great-grandfather is held hostage and the world doesn’t help him and the Israeli government doesn’t help him and I pray for the moment that he will return on his own two legs and we’ll welcome him with love,” says Daniel Lifshitz.

He speaks of some 30 hostages who have been killed in captivity in Gaza, and that this deal is too late for them, many of whom were his friends and his grandparents’ friends.

Lifschitz adds, “On Sunday, we will begin a new history of this country, it will be hard, and I ask you to honor the hostage families’ privacy.”

Most Popular