Relatives of hostage Tal Shoham watch his release by the Hamas terror group as they wait at the Rabin Medical Center in Petah Tikva on February 22, 2025 (Haim Zach/GPO)
Tal Shoham’s family in an official statement says: “This is an unforgettable moment, where all emotions mix rapidly. Our Tal is with us.
“We thank the entire people of Israel for being with us throughout the long days of pain and suffering… In this significant moment in our lives, our only request is to seize the opportunity that has arisen and bring about a deal that will return fathers to their children — children who need their fathers — and bring all the hostages home: the living for rehabilitation and the fallen for eternal rest.
“There is a window of opportunity — we must not miss it.”
Relatives of hostage Tal Shoham watch his release by the Hamas terror group as they wait at the Rabin Medical Center in Petah Tikva on February 22, 2025 (Haim Zach/GPO)
Avera Mengistu’s family says: “Ten years and five months of unimaginable suffering have passed for our family. During this time, relentless efforts were made to bring him back — prayers and cries, some silent, that went unanswered until today.
“Now, we gather in eager anticipation for the return of our beloved son, brother, and uncle, Avera. We ask that these moments be respected and that we be given the quiet and rest we so desperately need.”
Help us report truthfully on social media
As a multimedia journalist, my job is to take the quality, fact-based journalism produced by The Times of Israel newsroom and make it accessible across every platform — from Instagram posts to podcasts to short-form videos.
This is how many, especially young people, consume news these days. But misinformation is rampant on social media. Our team at ToI produces accurate, responsible short-form reporting on Israel and the Jewish world.
If you believe in the importance of factual social media journalism, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. Your financial support is essential to sustain responsible multimedia reporting.
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you, David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
From the Liveblog of
Saturday, February 22, 2025
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
