Freed Israeli Hostage Ohad Ben Ami Hopes for Trump-Brokered Ceasefire Deal

Return to Destroyed Home

• 🏠 Ohad Ben Ami returned to his home in Kibbutz Beeri, southern Israel, which was destroyed during the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack.
• 💔 He and his wife Raz were among those seized by Hamas-led militants and taken to Gaza.

Captivity and Release

• 😥 Ben Ami described experiencing terrible conditions during captivity, including hunger, poor sanitation, and abuse.
• 🤝 His wife was released in a November 2023 ceasefire deal, and he was released with two other hostages in February of this year.
• ⚖️ The gaunt appearance of the released hostages drew comparisons to survivors of Nazi concentration camps.

Optimism for a New Deal

• 🇺🇸 After meeting with US President Donald Trump, Ben Ami expressed optimism about a new ceasefire and hostage-release deal.
• 🗣️ He personally appealed to Trump to "knock on the table" to make a deal, noting that Arab countries, Israel, and Hamas seem to agree.
• ⏳ While acknowledging it will take a few days, he is optimistic about seeing the hostages released.

Appeal to Leadership and Public

• 😔 Ben Ami expressed disappointment with Israel's leadership, feeling abandoned by his government.
• 📣 He urged his government to embrace the deal and secure the release of all hostages, emphasizing their dire physical and mental condition.
• ✊ He also called on the Israeli people to continue protesting and pressing for a deal, crediting public pressure for reaching President Trump.