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“We have 94 hostages left in Gaza, and we are here to make sure that this deal is not only the first stage follows through, but every single hostage is brought home.”
By HANNAH SARISOHN JANUARY 19, 2025 22:23
Families of hostages using their opportunity to call on Trump to see the deal through.
(photo credit: LIRI AGAMI)
Washington, DC -- Hostage family members flanked by several dozen supporters gathered on Sunday morning at the base of the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C. with massive banners towering overhead reading, “President Trump you can save them, bring them home NOW.”
The first three hostages released in the first phase of the ceasefire hostage deal crossed into Israel just an hour before the start of the rally.
And in less than 24 hours from the demonstration, a few miles up the road from the Washington Monument, President-elect Donald Trump will be sworn into office.
The energy was cautiously jubilant as Hostage and Missing Family Forum leader Dana Cwaigrach held up the posters of Emily Damari, Doran Steinbrecher, and Romi Gonen, who were released Sunday after more than 470 days in Hamas captivity.
“This is a very, very special day for us,” Cwaigrach said. “Finally, we will not need to carry these posters with us ever again.”
But Cwaigrach said the group was in Washington, D.C. on the eve of the inauguration to make sure that all the hostages come home.
“We have 94 hostages left in Gaza, and we are here to make sure that this deal is not only the first stage follows through, but every single hostage is brought home,” she continued. “And every family has this joyous moment of reunion. Bring them home already.”
Rescued hostage speaks out
Rescued hostage Noa Argamani, one of the few rescued by an IDF operation, addressed the crowd and thanked Trump for making the deal happen and President Biden for never giving up on the hostages.
“But as I'm speaking to you today, I want to make sure that the world will know the deal must go on in full, in completely, in all the stages,” Argamani said, her voice steeped with urgency. “I know how it is to be the one that will be left behind, watching other hostages [being released] to their families.”
Argamani described every second in Gaza feeling like “the last second of life” which is why it’s critical to commit to the full deal.
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She said her heart is in captivity and that she will “never feel truly free” until all of hostages are home.
American-Israeli Jonathan Dekel-Chen is awaiting news of when his son, Sagui, will be released within the first phase of the deal.
Dekel-Chen told The Post that on Saturday, the American families met with incoming National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and soon-to-be Hostage Envoy Adam Boehler.
While Dekel-Chen didn’t specify exactly what the families discussed in the meeting, he said Waltz and Boehler are “absolutely committed to seeing the full agreement implemented.”
They understand that there can be bumps in the road from all sides, including Israel and the Israeli government, and they are prepared to take whatever steps are necessary, according to Dekel-Chen.
Dekel-Chen told The Post that the American hostage families requested regular meetings with Waltz and Boehler, as Biden’s National Security Advisor met with the families bi-weekly since October 7.
Waltz and Boehler’s teams have yet to respond to this request.
Though Ronan Neutra, father of New York-born hostage Omer Neutra, an IDF tank commander whose body was taken into Gaza on October 7, said the families see the amount of dedication from the Trump team, who is saying that they want all hostages back, Ronan said.
“So we trust that it will continue,” he added.
Liran Berman, brother of hostages Gali and Ziv Berman, said the families recognize the US as the most important negotiators in the deal.
Berman told The Post he hadn’t been to Washington, D.C. since November 2023, a few weeks after his brothers were taken hostage.
He described feeling optimistic about the November trip as talks for the first ceasefire and hostage deal were ongoing.
“Right now, it's kind of the same. We are feeling the optimism, and we are seeing the first deal brought life because we see the first three hostages coming back,” Berman said. “It's kind of the same feeling. Different administration, same feeling.”
This is the commitment of the United States to the State of Israel, according to Berman, and it doesn't matter which administration or which president “did amazing” for the families.
“We hope that President Trump will bring the last of hostages back home,” he said, “As Biden [brought] the first one.”
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