From the Liveblog of
Saturday, July 5, 2025
Mother of hostage Alon Ohel to go to Washington ahead of PM’s meeting to ‘look decision-makers in the eye’
Idit Ohel, mother of hostage Alon Ohel, is traveling to Washington to call for an end to the war in Gaza and the release of the captives, ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday, she says in a video posted to social media.
“The progress in negotiations and Hamas’s response necessitate an end to Alon’s and all the hostages’ nightmare,” she says. “I’ve decided to travel to Washington tonight to look decision-makers in the eye, both in [Israel] and the United States, so they’ll know it’s time to save the life of my dear son Alon.”
“Alon is seriously wounded. He lost an eye and is suffering from a head wound that has not been treated,” she says. “His life is in danger.”
“Alon is alone, in harsh and cruel conditions,” says Idit Ohel. “If we don’t save Alon now, then when?”
“We’ve won,” she says. “We’ve won the war against Hamas, against Hezbollah and Iran, and now it’s time to win the most important war: bringing back Alon and bringing back the rest of the hostages.”
Alon Ohel, 24, was abducted from the Re’im area Nova music festival during the Hamas onslaught of October 7, 2023. He is one of 20 hostages still thought to be alive in Gaza, all of them young men.
The ceasefire-hostage deal on the table would secure the release of half of those hostages known to still be alive, with eight freed on the first day and two released on the 50th day, according to an Arab diplomat from one of the mediating countries. Roughly half of the remaining slain hostages would also be released, with five being freed on the seventh day, five more freed on the 30th day and eight more freed on the 60th day.
Hamas said Friday that it had submitted a “positive” response to the proposal, but a source involved in mediation told The Times of Israel that the terror group expressed reservations on three core issues that could pose significant hurdles in negotiations.
Netanyahu has publicly vowed to keep fighting in Gaza until Hamas is vanquished but is reportedly working with Trump on a plan that would end the war, re-commit Israel to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and normalize Israeli-Saudi and Israeli-Syrian relations.
The Times of Israel Community.