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President Donald Trump on Thursday met with freed Israeli hostages, who were kidnapped and held by Hamas, and their loved ones at the White House.
Trump met with 17 people who were held captive by Hamas and were released a month ago and their loved ones. He handed the survivors a Presidential Challenge Coin.
“You’re not a hostage anymore, today you’re heroes,” Trump said. “We love you all, and our country loves you all. You’re amazing people.”
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The last living hostages held in Gaza were freed in October amid intervention from the Trump administration.
Among the hostages at Thursday’s event was Matan Angrest, who was serving in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) when he was kidnapped while defending the Nahal Oz outpost.
His mother, Anat Angrest, reportedly told Channel 12 that her son was subjected to “very severe torture” at the beginning of his captivity because he was a soldier, The Times of Israel previously reported.
“Because of service in the IDF, Matan was subjected to severe beatings, even at times losing consciousness,” Trump said. “And alone and under a special guard, he went through hell. I guess you really were. I’ve heard stories that were not good. Look at you, how good you look.”
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“It just made you tougher, right? It did, made you tougher,” he added. “But Matan never broke, and today he’s a living testimony to the toughness, heart, and faith of the Jewish people. Great knowing you, you’re a great inspiration to everybody, whether you’re Jewish or not.”
Israeli twins Gali and Ziv Berman presented Trump with the original mezuzah from their home in Kfar Aza’s Young Generation neighborhood, where they were kidnapped on Oct. 7, 2023.
“We came to thank the President of the United States for the many actions he took toward our release,” they said in a statement through the Hostages Families Forum. “At the same time, it’s important to remember that the mission is not yet complete. There are three deceased hostages still being held in Gaza. Until everyone returns, we cannot begin our rehabilitation as a society and as a nation.”
The pair also gave Trump a letter, which read: “This mezuzah was lovingly removed from the door of Gali’s room in our home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza, a community that endured unspeakable horrors on October 7, 2023. The mezuzah survived. Gali survived. And now, this sacred item is presented to you, for helping to save his life.
With deep respect and heartfelt gratitude, we present you with a small yet powerful symbol of protection and faith, salvaged from the devastation of tragedy, as a gesture of honor and appreciation for your actions in bringing back the hostages. May it stand as an enduring testament to courage, to faith, and to the eternal friendship between our peoples.”
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