Statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Israel - Prime Minister's Office
Media Statements
The 37th Government
22.02.2025
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this evening [translated from Hebrew]:
"Together with my wife Sara, and with all the citizens of Israel, I celebrate the return home of Eliya Cohen, Omer Shem Tov, Omer Wenkert, Tal Shoham, Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed.
The heart bursts with excitement as we embrace the families. Their return is a moment of joy and relief to their families and the entire nation of Israel.
Following our insistence and unequivocal demand to immediately return Shiri, of blessed memory, we were able to bring her back tonight for burial according to Jewish tradition.
The heart of our nation is broken by the abduction and cruel murder of Shiri and her children Ariel and Kfir, of blessed memory. We share the deep sorrow of the Bibas family and embrace them dearly. We shall neither forgive nor forget.
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We carry the painful memory of, and we salute, our fallen and wounded heroes - thanks to them the daughters and sons have returned home.
Thus far, we have returned home 192 hostages, 147 of them alive and 45 deceased.
Sixty-three hostages are still being held by Hamas. The Government of Israel is committed to continue acting decisively in order to bring all of our hostages back home - the living to their families, and the deceased to proper burial in their country."
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