JERUSALEM—Israeli hostage family members, whose loved ones are held by the U.S.-designated terrorist group Hamas, issued an open letter on Thursday to President Trump, seeking his aid in securing the release of the 53 individuals still detained in Gaza.
“As Iranian missiles light up the sky above, our thoughts are entirely with our cherished family members suffering in the harsh captivity of Hamas. 53 invaluable lives—our children, parents, siblings, and spouses—are confined in torment.
“For over 620 relentless days, they have known no shelter, no family warmth, no comforting murmurs. Their time is slipping away. We reach out to you, united in this distinct sorrow, yet grounded in unwavering belief in your leadership and dedication to bringing our loved ones back to us,” the Israeli group Hostages and Missing Families Forum shared on the social media platform Truth Social, of which Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG) is the parent company.
He added, “I do not close my eyes for a moment” about the hostages. Netanyahu told Isarel’s Kan public broadcaster that “Hamas relies on Iran.”
Hamas’ recalcitrance about agreeing to a ceasefire that would enable the hostages to be released has been the major obstacle for America’s efforts to secure their freedom after 623 days of war. Hamas invaded Israel on October 7, 2023, and massacred over 1,200 people, including Americans. and kidnapped more than 250 people.
Netanyahu stressed, with respect to the hostages and the war against Iran, that “I am determined to bring all of them home . . . I will not give up on this, and there are also steps that we will take in these moments for this goal. . . . The destruction of the nuclear weapons, the destruction of missiles, the elimination of our targets.”
Supporters of Israelis held hostage in the Gaza Strip since October 2023 lift placards and flags during a rally calling to complete the exchange deal with the Palestinian Hamas group to bring the remaining captives back, in front of the prime minister’s office in Jerusalem on February 11, 2025. (Menahem Kahana/AFP via Getty Images)
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum Headquarters released a statement from family members about the burial of murdered hostage Yair Yaakov on Friday, who was laid to rest at Kibbutz Nir Oz after 623 days in captivity.
Or Yaakov, Yair’s son, who was released from Hamas captivity as part of a deal, said, “Dad, you were such a special person. An exemplary father, a true friend. You left behind an enormous void that nothing will ever be able to fill. But I promise you, I will keep your memories alive within me. I will tell your stories, I will laugh at and with your jokes, and most importantly, I will live the way you would want me to live – with flow, simplicity, and contentment. Rest in peace, my dear father. You will always be in my heart, with every breath I take. I love you forever.”
Smoke rises from the building of Iran’s state-run television after an Israeli strike in Tehran, Iran, Monday, June 16, 2025. (AP Photo)
The Times of Israel reported that the operation to recover Yair Yaakov was carried out by the army’s 36th Division following precise intelligence from military and security intelligence. Reuters named Aviv Atzili as the second person recovered during the operation. Atzili, a warrant officer in the reserves and a member of Kibbutz Nir Oz’s civil defense squad, was killed battling Hamas-led terrorists in the Gaza border community on October 7, 2023.
