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‘Be the president of peace', released Hamas hostages urge Donald Trump to end war in Gaza

‘Be the president of peace', released Hamas hostages urge Donald Trump to end war in Gaza

Indian Express3 days ago
Six former hostages of Hamas and the widow of another hostage executed by the militant group have urged US President Donald Trump to end the war in Gaza and secure the release of those still held in captivity.
In a video posted on X by Bring Them Home Now, Naama Levy, Ohad Ben Ami, Doron Steinbrecher, Sasha Troufanov, Arbel Yehoud, Iair Horn and Michal Lobanov, the wife of Alexander Lubanov who was executed by Hamas, thanked Trump for facilitating the return of 39 hostages.
'President Trump, we want to thank you for bringing us home. We know it wasn't easy. Your leadership, and your courage, gave us back our lives and our families. We are here today – because you chose to act,' Levy, who spoke first, said in the video.
'President Trump, you have the power to change history, to be the 'president of peace' who ended the war and suffering, and brought all the hostages home,' Iair Horn, another released hostage, said.
'Every bullet, every strike, could be the one that ends their life,' another released hostage, Troufanov said, while urging Trump to secure the release of the remaining hostages.
'Every single one needs to come back home,' Yehoud, whose partner is still held in Gaza, said.
'You have the power to make history — to be the president of peace, who ended the war, ended the suffering, and brought every hostage home, including my little brother,' Horn, whose brother is one of the remaining hostages, said.
'He came back to me in a coffin,' Lobanov, whose husband was one of six hostages executed by Hamas last August, said. 'President Trump, please act now before it's too late for them, too,' she said.
'President Trump, you have the power to make history, to be the 'President of Peace' who ended the war, ended the suffering, and brought every hostage home.'
Hamas captivity survivors, together with the wife of a hostage who was murdered in captivity, have released a powerful… pic.twitter.com/SaJ89A4ygV
— Bring Them Home Now (@bringhomenow) August 14, 2025
Earlier, on Tuesday, mothers of Israeli hostages held in Gaza, including one who appeared emaciated in a recent Hamas video, voiced fears that a planned Israeli offensive could further endanger their sons' lives due to the risk of reprisals.
'When I heard that our government intends to extend the war in Gaza, I as a mother am afraid, because we know that Hamas gives commands…to kill the hostages whenever (our military) is getting close to them,' said Viki Cohen, the mother of Nimrod Cohen, an Israeli soldier who is still being held captive in Gaza, said.
Galia David, the mother of Evyatar David, the Israeli hostage who was seen in the recent Hamas video, also said she was 'really afraid'.
'We know from hostages who were released that there are hard stories, that they are even more evil with them when there is fighting,' she said.
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