Netanyahu's Handwritten Welcome Notes to Released Hostages: Inside Israel's Repatriation Efforts

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara have included a heartfelt personal message in the welcome packages prepared for hostages recently freed from Hamas captivity after more than two years.

The handwritten note in Hebrew reads: "On behalf of the entire people of Israel, welcome back! We have been waiting for you. We embrace you. Sara and Benjamin Netanyahu."

Netanyahu's office published an image of this note on social media platform X, explaining that the welcome kits contain essential items for the returning hostages including clothing, personal equipment, a laptop computer, mobile phone, and tablet.

Hamas has released 20 Israeli hostages under the initial phase of a ceasefire agreement with Israel. The militant group had attacked Israeli communities on October 7, 2023, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking over 250 hostages.

The released hostages include Bar Abraham Kupershtein, Evyatar David, Yosef-Chaim Ohana, Segev Kalfon, Avinatan Or, Elkana Bohbot, Maxim Herkin, Nimrod Cohen, Matan Angrest, Matan Zangauker, Eitan Horn, Eitan Abraham Mor, Gali Berman, Ziv Berman, Omri Miran, Alon Ohel, Guy Gilboa-Dalal, Rom Braslavski, Ariel Cunio, and David Cunio.

Under the roadmap proposed by US President Donald Trump, Hamas is expected to release the remaining 47 hostages, both living and deceased. Following the handover of surviving hostages, Israel will begin releasing approximately 2,000 detainees in exchange.

President Trump, who stated this morning that the "war is over" in Gaza, is traveling to Israel where he will meet with the families of hostages. He will subsequently visit Egypt, where he and President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will co-host a summit with more than 20 world leaders to support his plan for ending the Gaza conflict and promoting peace in the Middle East.

According to this plan, as Israel conducts a partial withdrawal from Gaza, their forces will be replaced by a multinational force coordinated by a US-led command center based in Israel.

Israel captured the Gaza Strip in 1967 and maintained a military presence there until 2005, when it withdrew its settlers and troops. Hamas won parliamentary elections the following year and took complete control of Gaza in 2007.

Major conflicts erupted in Gaza in 2008, 2012, 2014, and 2021. The most devastating war in Gaza began with Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in over 67,000 casualties and the displacement of approximately 2 million people due to Israel's retaliatory operations.