When the clock in Hostages Square ticks over this morning, Israel prays that, finally, every last living hostage will be on the road to freedom.
Once merely a plaza in front of the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, this location will eternally represent two years of relentless suffering, sorrow, and despair for the families of those abducted.
Now, with Donald Trump’s peace plan, it will also become a symbol of the people’s triumph in bringing everyone back home despite significant betrayal from much of the global community.
This was commemorated on Saturday night as 400,000 Israelis converged here to listen to the primary orchestrators of the peace plan – Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff – as they spoke.
Mr Kushner spoke movingly of his pride in the way the Israeli people ‘carried themselves through this traumatic, unthinkable, horrific experience’.
‘Instead of replicating the barbarism of the enemy, you chose to be exceptional,’ he said. ‘You chose to stand for the values that you stand for.’
By doing so, he reinforced America’s support for Israel and thwarted the primary objective of Hamas on October 7, 2023 – to execute an atrocity so grievous that it would elicit a response dividing Israel from its allies.
Currently, posters are displayed along the roads in Israel urging Mr. Trump to go ‘all the way to normalization’ (sic) and finalize the Abraham Accords with Arab neighbors, an outcome the terrorists also sought to sabotage.
When the clock in Hostages Square ticks over this morning, Israel prays that, finally, every last living hostage will be on the road to freedom
A large crowd gathers for the first aid trucks arriving in Khan Yunis
Thanks to Donald Trump’s peace plan, Hostages Square will also stand as a symbol of the people’s victory to bring them all home in spite of a woeful betrayal by much of the international community
The feeling on the streets here is one of hope. That when the hostages cross back into Israel it will usher in a new era – and that finally this nightmare that began with the largest slaughter of Jews since the Holocaust and led, unfathomably, to an explosion in anti-Semitism across the world, is coming to an end.
‘Cautiously happy’ is how 37-year-old Inbar Goldstein summed up the mood to the Daily Mail in Hostages Square yesterday.
Her 19-year-old niece, Agam Goldstein-Almog, was freed from captivity nearly two months after the terror attack having seen her father and sister killed in her kibbutz.
‘We are headed towards different kinds of tears – happy tears, sad, worried, frightened tears,’ she said.
‘It kind of feels like we had small endings during the past two years, so now it’s kind of the grand finale hopefully.’
While 20 living hostages are expected to be returned from 6am local time today, there are concerns some of the 28 dead may not be found.
‘Only when they are returned, only then will we have certainty and be able to move on with our lives,’ said Udi Goren, who is waiting for the return of his cousin Tal Haimi’s body.
‘Until then we are stuck on October 7.’
Hundreds of notes hang from a tent in Hostages Square written for those freed to read when they come home
Jared Kushner (pictured) spoke movingly of his pride in the way the Israeli people ‘carried themselves through this traumatic, unthinkable, horrific experience
Hundreds of notes hang from a tent in Hostages Square written for those freed to read when they come home.
Gilad Katz, 40, visited with his nine-year-old daughter Lia and she left a message saying she ‘hopes that they will come back happy’.
Mr Katz said it felt ‘important’ to bring his child, telling us: ‘For the last two years, we’ve all been looking forward to this moment. Looking forward to seeing everyone come home and to bring some level of closure for all the families.’
Another note summed up the feelings of many with the words: ‘Welcome home – I’m so sorry Israel left you there so long.’
Melancholic piano music drifted through the square on a calm Mediterranean breeze as Israelis heeded the call of Idit Ohel to play the instruments in honour of her son, Alon, a talented pianist who is due back today.
As well as poignant reflections on the pain of the last two years, there is also unbridled joy from those who have done so much to free the hostages.
Menachem Rosenberg, who volunteered with the Hostages Forum travelling the world to campaign with them, was seen posing with a Donald Trump impersonator.
‘There’s this term in Hebrew – Asak. It’s end of course vibes,’ he joked. ‘Wow. It’s the feeling when tension ends.
‘You let all your feelings out – both positive and negative.’
Workers hang a large banner thanking US President Trump on a building ahead of his visit to Israel, in Jerusalem
Yarden Gonen, 31, fought tirelessly to bring back her sister, Romi, 25, who was held with British-Israeli Emily Damari, 29, until January.
‘Wow, I have no voice left!’ she said, her face beaming as she dashed in to support the families of those waiting anxiously for their loved ones’ turns to be released today.
In Jerusalem, American flags and billboards praising Mr Trump as a ‘hero’ have sprung up around the Holy City.
The US President is due to arrive here to give an historic address to the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament, today and locals are readying themselves.
‘Trump is a hero, a real one,’ says Rosette, an Arab Israeli from Jerusalem. ‘He got out of this mess. He brought us this happiness. At the beginning I was scared he was elected, but he has proven himself.’
At Sacher Park in Jerusalem, opposite the Knesset, the air was alive with children’s laughter and music.
‘I am ecstatic,’ says Mimi Biazi, who runs a nearby guest house. ‘After everything that happened to us in this country, it’s the biggest celebration here.’
As the sun set last night, the roads started to close to make way for Mr Trump as Israelis pray his arrival, and that of the hostages, will usher in a new chapter for the Middle East.
