Americans for a Safe Israel/AFSI expresses its relief, appreciation and joy that all of the living hostages are now home. Their horrific captivity and the painful wait for them – and for their families – has finally ended. We extend our wishes for a refuah shlema – a swift recovery and complete healing, along with as quick a return as possible to their normal daily lives. We recognize that our words cannot fully capture the recovery journey they will all experience, but our prayers and good wishes are sincere. May they find comfort and strength in our words during this difficult time.
Following the release of all of the remaining living hostages earlier, Hamas announced the names of the deceased hostages whose bodies will be returned today: Guy Illouz, Yossi Sharabi, Bipin Joshi, and Daniel Perez. The bodies of 24 more hostages remain in captivity in the Gaza Strip. This cannot be considered a truly historic day until the remains of these Israeli hostages are returned home to their final rest.
We would be remiss if we did not express our sincerest gratitude to United States President Donald J. Trump for his tireless efforts that have brought this distressing two-year ordeal to what we hope will be a lasting and positive resolution and the start of a new era of peace.
However, we maintain numerous significant concerns and downright skepticism regarding the implementation of this peace agreement and the potential disarmament of Hamas and its affiliated factions. Addressing the fundamental causes of terrorism involves multiple pathways, and substantial efforts are required to attain a genuine and enduring peace. Nevertheless, we are completely confident that President Trump will have Israel’s back if Hamas and the Palestinian Arabs do not meet their responsibilities as specified in Trump’s 20-point Gaza plan.
Read about all of the living hostages that were released:
These are the hostages to be released by Monday, by ILH Staff, October 10, 2025
Source:
Hamas names the slain hostages who will be returned today, by Israel National News, October 13, 2025