This has been a good week for many people in Israel. Especially for the families of the surviving hostages released by Hamas in a quickly concluded peace deal.
People like Lishay Lavi-Miran. We met her for the first time last month at a meeting at “Hostage Square” in Tel Aviv. Her husband, 48-year-old Omri Miran, also the father of two little girls, was taken hostage. He was taken from their kibbutz house by Hamas terrorists.
In September she had only one message for us: “I beg for the life of Omri,” she said, “and everyone else. I plead for us, for truly the entire Israeli people.”
ISRAELI HOSTAGES ARE REUNITED WITH FAMILIES IN EMOTIONAL MOMENTS
Her pleas were answered on Monday. Amateur videos showed her elation when she first saw Omri being transferred to the IDF helicopter. The now ex-hostage looks great. And then happily reunited in matching T-shirts with his wife. Finally back to playing with his two daughters. The six-month-old baby is said to have learned the Hebrew word for “daddy.”
And then there was Liron Berman. We also met him at the meeting last month. He is the older brother of 28-year-old twins Ziv and Gali Berman. Last month he was confident they would make it.
“They will survive,” he told us, “they will be here.” We asked him if he had confidence in that. “I’m confident,” he replied, “I’m confident.”
It has paid off. Incredibly, the two were separated after being kidnapped. And only reunited after their release Monday. The two hug each other jubilantly. Their personalities intact. Ziv said he had charm. Gali loves the good life.
They then flew by helicopter to greet their families, wearing T-shirts of their favorite local football team, and watched the passing scene.
FROM LOSS TO GRATITUDE: TRUMP BELIEVED AS ISRAELIANS CELEBRATE HAMAS HOSTAGE DEAL IN TEL AVIV
The ceasefire/hostage agreement was pushed through by President Donald Trump and his team. Vindication for another person we spoke with that September day, Keith Siegel.
Former American hostage Keith Siegel with Greg Palkot in Tel Aviv, Israel. (Greg Palkot)
He himself was held hostage for 484 days. He became a very vocal advocate for the release of the rest of the hostages and a booster of President Trump.
“Thanks to President Trump, I am here today, I am alive and I have been released,” he told us. He then continued: “I call on President Trump to continue his efforts.”
What the president did.
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Of course, everyone realizes that this week is just the beginning. The remains of only some of the 28 deceased hostages have so far been returned by Hamas. The Gaza Strip remains a deadly disaster area. And most of the twenty points in the peace plan still need to be addressed.
Still, for many, right now is a time to exhale… and relax. Peace is good.
