VFI News 40 Israeli Hostages Released, Ceasefire Continues

40 Israeli Hostages Released, Ceasefire Continues

On Sunday evening, November 26, Israel confirmed the identities of 14 Israeli hostages released from Hamas captivity in the Gaza Strip.

Avigail Idan (3 years old), the Brodutch family - Hagar (40), Ofri (10), Yuva (8) and Uriah (4), Ella (8) and Dafna Elyakim (15), the Almog-Goldstein family - Chen (48), Agam (17), Gal (11) and Tal (9), Elma Avraham (84), Aviva Siegel (64) and Ron Krivoi (25) have all been released.

Released hostage Elma Avraham was rushed to the Beersheba hospital via helicopter immediately upon her re-entry into Israel on Sunday night. The hospital’s director gave a statement on Sunday night, saying that it was evident from the hostage’s condition upon release that she was not cared for by her Hamas captives.

Since the implementation of the ceasefire deal on Friday morning, 40 Israeli citizens previously taken hostage in Gaza, mostly women and children, have been freed. 17 Thai hostages and one Filipino have also been released as part of a separate deal between Hamas and the Egyptian government.

Meanwhile, families according to the Hostage and Missing Families Forum, families of survivors rescued from Hamas captivity have expressed their gratitude for reunions, while simultaneously calling for further release of those still held hostage.

Family members of 72-year-old Adina Moshe, who was released Friday night said, “The whole family are here together because even though she came back, we are here to support all the other families, we are all one big family, and our family will stay here until everybody will get back home. Bring them home now!” (JPost / VFI News)

“God, we thank You from the bottom of our hearts for returning some of the hostages to their loving families. We pray for the release of all the remaining hostages, as well as for the full recovery of the ones who have already been freed. We are extremely thankful to You and our leaders for reuniting families and ending their agony.”

The articles included in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Vision for Israel. We try to provide accurate reporting on news pertinent to Israel, the Middle East, the diaspora, and Jewish issues around the world—and we hope that you find it both informative and useful for intercessory prayer.

Following the release of 13 Israelis from Hamas captivity on Saturday night, November 25, Israeli media spoke with the families of those who returned, to hear the stories their relatives have brought back from their time in Gaza.

The families were given time to meet their loved ones immediately following their return to Israeli soil. They reported that they had not been tortured or physically abused, although the amount of food they had been given was minimal and they were often left to cook the food themselves as well as for the children they were with.

They said how their final two weeks had seen supplies running low, often leaving them with only a little more than pita and small amounts of rice to eat.

Merav Mor Munder, the cousin of Keren Munder who was released on Friday, said that Hannah Katzir, who was also released, learned of her son’s murder on one of the few occasions they would be permitted to listen to Israeli radio.

Some of the hostages also spoke of their worry about last-minute attempts by Hamas or Gazans, who had thrown stones at the vehicle taking them to Egypt, to attack them before they got home. “Until the last moment we weren’t sure,” a hostage said, “We thought they would lynch us on the way to Israel.” (JPost / VFI News)

“My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only He will release my feet from the snare.” - Psalm 25:15

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video on Friday evening, November 24, in which he commented on the release of 13 hostages who were held in Gaza, in the first phase of the deal which was agreed upon last week.

“We just completed the return of the first of our hostages: children, their mothers, and additional women. Each of them is an entire world,” said Netanyahu.

“But I emphasize to you, the families, and to you, citizens of Israel: we are committed to returning all the hostages. This is one of the aims of the war and we are committed to achieving all the aims of the war,” added Netanyahu.

President Isaac Herzog also commented on the release of the 13 hostages, “On behalf of the entire nation, I thank everyone who is engaged in the holy work of bringing our sons and daughters home. It is important to remember that the job is not done until all the hostages return to Israel,” he said.

“I want to strengthen the people involved in the negotiations, all of the security forces, the forces who are fighting in the field, the Israeli intelligence community, the psychological teams, the social workers, the medical, rescue, and rehabilitation forces, and the families of the hostages, along with the relevant international factors,” he added. (INN / VFI News)

“God, we thank You for guiding our leaders into prioritizing the release of the hostages. We are immensely grateful and rejoice that some of the Israeli and foreign families have reunited. We continue to pray for the immediate release of all remaining hostages, as well as for the permanent cessation of all hostilities in the land of Israel.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, November 26, toured the Gaza Strip, where he was briefed on the security situation, spoke with commanders, and visited one of the terror tunnels that were uncovered.

The Prime Minister was accompanied by his Chief of Staff, Tzachi Braverman, National Security Council Chief Tzachi Hanegbi, the Prime Minister's military secretary, Maj. Gen. Avi Gil, and Deputy IDF Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Amir Baram.

“We are here in the Gaza Strip with our heroic soldiers. We are making every effort to return the hostages, and in the end, we will return them all. We have three objectives in this war: to eliminate Hamas, to bring back all of the hostages, and to ensure that Gaza will not return to be a threat to the State of Israel,” Netanyahu stated.

“I am here to tell the friends here, the soldiers here, who told me the same things, and I will repeat them to you, citizens of Israel: We are continuing to the end - until victory,” he added.

“I sat with the Deputy Chief of Staff and the commanders, on the wall, it was written ‘Am Yisrael Chai’ (the People of Israel live). So the People of Israel live, and the People of Israel are victorious thanks to you,” the Prime Minister concluded. (INN / VFI News)

“For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.” - Deuteronomy 20:4

In this heartfelt update, Barry Segal shares the latest on emergency, medical, and disaster relief efforts in Israel during the Swords of Iron War. Discover how your support has made a difference, from safety bomb shelters to winter jackets for soldiers. Join us in partnering with a vision for Israel's well-being.

Extreme and horrified are the reactions in Congress, the United Nations, and even in Hollywood to the 43-minute film containing raw footage of Hamas terrorists’ October 7 massacre in southern Israel.

The film is a compilation of body cameras worn by Hamas terrorists, dashcams, traffic cameras, closed-circuit TV, and the mobile phones and social media accounts of victims, soldiers, and emergency medical workers.

This is the nightmare Israelis have been living for the past weeks since thousands of Hamas and other Palestinian terrorists from the Gaza Strip infiltrated Israel on that fateful Saturday morning — now referred to as “Black Saturday” — attacking some 20 civilian communities, army bases, and a music festival.

Even the headiest of individuals struggle to stomach such a compilation of horror. “It is a very difficult film to watch. It is the raw footage taken by the terrorists themselves and shows very graphic images,” Lior Hiatt, spokesperson of Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told American media Thursday, November 23.

Hiatt said that the film has been shown to diplomats, international organizations, influencers, and decision-makers at the highest levels, shared by Israel in more than 60 of its embassies and consulates around the world.

“Not everyone can actually stay and watch the entire movie,” the spokesman said. “I’ve seen people crying, I’ve seen people leaving the room and I’ve seen a lot of people shocked to see that those kinds of atrocities were committed against human beings by the monsters from Hamas.” (FN / VFI News)

“God, we ask that You help our defense forces deliver justice and apprehend all terrorists who have committed atrocities against Israeli and foreign civilians. We ask that Hamas will be dismantled immediately and its terrorists face just punishment for the heinous crimes they have committed. We offer our heartfelt condolences to all citizens who have been afflicted and we pray for an end to all of their suffering.”

Two hundred trucks of humanitarian aid entered Gaza Friday, November 24, Israel’s military liaison to the Palestinians Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) announced.

This is by far the largest number of trucks to enter Gaza since the outbreak of the war and is a fulfillment of Israel’s commitments to allow in 200 trucks of aid for every day of the temporary truce.

US officials told Israeli media earlier the previous week that they didn’t think Israel would be able to abide by this clause due to the limited aid delivery mechanisms currently in place.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that 137 of the trucks have been offloaded by UNRWA workers for distribution. OCHA says one hundred and twenty-nine thousand liters of fuel and four gas trucks also crossed into Gaza Friday.

Hundreds of thousands of people were assisted with food, water, medical supplies, and other essential humanitarian items throughout the day, according to OCHA. “The UN welcomes the release of 24 hostages held in Gaza since October 7 and renews its call for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages,” OCHA said. (TOI / VFI News)

“Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.” - Deuteronomy 15:10

Israel’s Special Envoy for Combating Antisemitism Michal Cotler-Wunsh told American media in a wide-ranging interview about the world’s oldest hatred that the modern proliferation of antisemitism in the U.S. has its origins in an anti-Israel United Nations resolution from 1975.

“We have to understand that the US is experiencing such massive growth in antisemitism, and we see not only the antisemitism that fueled the atrocities of 10/7 but those that actually fueled the responses to the atrocities of 10/7 across North American campuses, on the streets and online. It is part of a decades-long process,” she said.

According to the Israeli envoy, “The world before 10/7 and the world after it, like 9/11, cannot continue as if nothing happened. I would say the strain of antisemitism that is anti-Zionism, the negation of Israel’s very right to exist across North America … began with the 1975 Zionism is racism resolution. Soviet propaganda passed at the U.N. has become mainstream across North American campuses in the name of progress.”

Cotler-Wunsh continued, “The U.N. bears tremendous responsibility. And if I would add to that, the post-atrocities of 10/7, the fact that no U.N. body has condemned unequivocally not the rape, not the bludgeoning, not the mutilation, not the abduction of thousands of civilians, undermining its own mandate.”

When asked what can be done to fight the mushrooming forces of antisemitism, she said, “The only way to begin to identify and combat it is, of course, to define it. And we have the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition, a working definition that is the result of a long democratic process.” According to the Israeli envoy, the IHRA definition identifies “The dehumanization, the delegitimization and the double standards applied again” to Israel. (FN / VFI News)

 “Those who hate me without reason outnumber the hairs of my head; many are my enemies without cause, those who seek to destroy me. I am forced to restore what I did not steal.” - Psalm 69:4

Tens of thousands of demonstrators, some waving Israeli and British flags, marched against antisemitism through central London on Sunday, November 26.

The protest, which unconfirmed reports claimed drew over 100,000 people, came a day after large pro-Palestinian crowds took to the streets of Britain’s capital to demand a full ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.

The UK has seen a spike in antisemitic incidents since the unprecedented deadly Hamas onslaught in Israel on October 7 unleashed war in the Gaza Strip. Demonstrators, who were joined by ex-prime minister Boris Johnson, held posters that read “Zero tolerance for antisemitism,” as they walked to parliament.

Previously, BBC staff, including Jewish staff, were told that they were not allowed to march in the demonstration. The BBC staff seeking permission to attend were denied permission under the contracted guidelines that prohibit employees from attending demonstrations deemed “controversial,” other British media reported. The same response was said to have been given to staff seeking permission to attend pro-Palestinian rallies.

The decision comes only days after the BBC’s former director called the network “institutionally antisemitic” and stated that, “BBC’s unwillingness to describe the burning alive of families in their homes, the rape of women and the murder of babies as a terrorist attack is now well known and stands in stark contrast with its reporting of other recent terrorist incidents.” (JPost / VFI News)

The suggestions, opinions, and scripture references made by VFI News writers and editors are based on the best information received.

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