First step: 13 abducted children and the elderly were released as part of the first step of the ceasefire agreement, according to a statement from the IDF spokesman, 22 Israeli and foreign citizens returned this evening to the Hatzerim Airbase, from where they took off to the hospitals and were reunited with their families.
Two Israeli citizens were transported to a hospital by ambulance. The returning citizens and foreigners are accompanied by personnel and medical personnel of the IDF. IDF representatives accompany their families in the hospitals and provide them with regular updates.
Netanyahu: "We are committed to the return of all our captives. This is one of the goals of the war"
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed their return and emphasized the commitment to return all of them. "We have now completed the return of the first of our captives. Children, their mothers, and other women. Each and every one of them is a whole world. But I emphasize to you - the families, and to you - the citizens of Israel: we are committed to the return of all our captives. This is one of the goals of the war and we are committed to achieving all the goals of the war."
The list of captives who were released and returned to Israel: Doron Katz-Asher, Raz Asher, Aviv Asher, Danielle Aloni, Amelia Aloni, Ruth Munder, Karen Munder, and Ohad Munder.
Herzog: "The work is not finished until all the captives return to Israel"
President Herzog welcomed the return of the captives, "In the name of the entire nation, I thank all those who are engaged in the holy work of bringing our sons and daughters home. It is important to remember that the work is not finished until all the captives return to Israel."
According to him, "I want to strengthen the people who are engaged in negotiations, all of the security forces, the fighting forces in the field, the Israeli intelligence community, the administrative staff of the captives and the missing, the psychological teams, the workers and social workers, the medical, rescue and rehabilitation forces and the families of the captives and alongside them the relevant international factors".
In the end, he wrote, "I embrace and strengthen those returning home as well as the families of all the captives, and I pray for the quick and safe return of our daughters and sons who are still in the hands of the enemy. Our hearts are with them every minute of the day."