The daughter of the President of the US stated that Donald Trump 'is always by the side of the families of the kidnapped.'
Compartir:
On a night filled with emotion and hope, thousands of Israelis gathered this Saturday at Tel Aviv's Hostages Square to listen to Ivanka Trump, adviser and daughter of U.S. President Donald Trump, and the White House Special Envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff.
Both arrived in Israel amid the historic agreementthat would put an end to more than two years of captivity for the Israeli hostages in Gaza.
Ivanka Trump, who took the stage after Witkoff and Jared Kushner, addressed words of empathy and faith to the families of the kidnapped.
"We honor the strength of every family that waited, prayed, and believed. I'm amazed by your fortitude and conviction", she expressed. On behalf of the president, she added: "He sees you, he hears you, and he is with you, always".
With a hopeful tone, Ivanka described the imminent return of the hostages as "a triumph of faith, courage, and our shared humanity".
She called for prayers "so that this week may be one of healing and so that we may begin a new chapter of lasting peace".
Steve Witkoff, special envoy from the US to the Middle East, addressing the crowd
According to Israeli sources, the surviving hostages—held captive for more than two years by Hamas—could return to their homes on Monday. Israel also awaits the repatriation of the bodies of 28 deceased hostages.
Envoy Steve Witkoff, a key figure in the negotiation, opened his speech with a phrase that summed up the crowd's sentiment: "I dreamed of this night. It's been a long road."
Thousands of attendees gave him a standing ovation while chanting "Thank you, Trump", in recognition of the U.S. president's role in the agreement.
"When courage joins conviction, miracles happen," Witkoff said. "You have carried the weight of hope on your shoulders and have shown the world that peace is not weakness, but the highest form of strength".
The U.S. envoy confirmed that, after the ceasefire proposed by Trump took effect, Israeli forces withdrew to the agreed lines and Hamas has a 72-hour deadline to return all captives.
Witkoff thanked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his "essential" role in finalizing the agreement, and also acknowledged the countries in the region that collaborated in the process.
"Your courage has moved the world," he said, addressing the families and the hostages: "You are coming home".
Among the evening's speakers were also Ruby Chen, Itzik Horn, and Yaira Gutman, relatives of the kidnapped who shared testimonies of resilience and faith.
The war in Gaza, triggered after the massacre of October 7, 2023, in which Hamas terrorists killed more than 1,200 people and kidnapped about 250, marked one of the darkest chapters in Israel's modern history. Today, with the imminent return of the hostages, the country finally glimpses a ray of light.
As Ivanka Trump said in closing her speech: "God bless you for standing together in solidarity during this dark chapter. May this be the beginning of healing and peace."
