Yoni Asher, whose family was freed from Hamas: I am happy but won’t celebrate until all hostages return

Yoni Asher, whose wife and two young daughters were released today after being held as hostages by Hamas terrorists in Gaza for 49 days, releases a short video about their safe return.

Asher’s wife, Doron, and their two young daughters Raz, 5, and Aviv, 2, were taken on October 7 from the sealed room of Doron’s mother’s house in Kibbutz Nir Oz, near Gaza. Doron’s mother, Efrat Katz, was killed in the shock assault, when terrorists invaded Israel and rampaged through communities and an outdoor music festival for hours, killing 1,200 people. Terrorists also took about 240 hostages.

Asher became a prominent figure in the organization that represents the families of the hostages.

Asher’s family were released Friday afternoon as part of a multi-day lull in fighting in Gaza that includes the release of at least 50 Israeli hostages overall. The first group of 13 hostages included the mother and daughters, as well as two other mothers and their young children, and elderly women. A separate deal between Thailand and Iran also saw the release of 11 Thai nationals and one Philippines national.

“My family Doron Raz and Aviv returned home to me…. I am determined to help my family recover from the terrible trauma and loss we went through, for the future of the girls and Doron,” he says.

“Complex days are still ahead of me. I must express thanks and appreciation to our brave sons risking their lives protecting the nation, to the IDF, the Israeli government, and the war cabinet and all those who are engaged in the work. Thanks to the wonderful people of Israel, for the thousands of messages and reinforcements. A big thank you to the families of the hostages who are working to get everyone back,” he says.

Asher also gives a special thanks to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, made up of “private people who left everything — families, careers — and gave all their time, energy, blood, and soul for the goal of rescuing my family.”

“I am happy that I got my family back…But I don’t celebrate, I won’t celebrate until the last of the hostages returns. I want to emphasize — our children, our fathers, our mothers, our sisters — are at this time in captivity, there are people whose hearts are broken at this time and I want to make sure that every last hostage person will return home,” he adds.