Five Israelis recently freed from captivity in Gaza are set to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday. The group includes Iair Horn, whose brother remains a hostage, and Keith Siegel, an American citizen held for 484 days.
Sharon Sharabi, brother of Eli Sharabi who was released after 491 days in captivity, said Sunday that Trump invited them after watching Eli’s emotional testimony in a TV interview. "Tomorrow morning, we're flying to the White House, and the meeting will take place on Tuesday," Sharon told Ynet. "This is the call of the hour," he said, stressing the importance of the meeting amid stalled negotiations for the release of remaining hostages.
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Released hostages flying to meet Trump
( Photo: REUTERS/Brian Snyder, Rabin Medical Center, Danaa Koppel, Moti Kimhi, GPO)
The freed hostages will travel to Washington on Monday aboard the private plane of billionaire philanthropist Miriam Adelson. Joining Sharabi, Siegel and Horn are Omer Shem Tov, and Siegel’s wife, Aviva, who was also held in Gaza and released in a hostage deal in November 2023. Several others will accompany them.
Shem Tov was released last Saturday, while Horn was freed a week earlier. On Saturday, Hamas released a video showing Horn saying goodbye to his brother, Eitan, who remains in captivity. Their mother, Ruth Strom, said Sunday that Horn had hidden the video from the family to protect them. "Iair didn’t tell us they filmed them... but I knew something like this would happen," she told Ynet. The video shows the brothers embracing after 498 days in captivity. Eitan Horn has now been held for 513 days.
"There’s no time to waste," Strom said, explaining why the family agreed to release the footage. "Everyone needs to see it, to know, and to feel what all of our hostages are going through. Even those who are no longer alive deserve a proper burial."
After his release, Shem Tov returned home to Herzliya, where thousands of Israelis welcomed him. Supporters held signs reading, "Welcome back, hero" and "Omer is back." Leaving Rabin Medical Center, Shem Tov wore the jersey of Brazil national soccer team legend Ronaldo—the same shirt he had on when he was abducted.
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His brother, Amit, described the moment he embraced him: "We’re over the moon. There’s no greater happiness than this. Omer is home. It’s like he’s been born again."
Keith Siegel speaking on video to Trump
For Siegel, this is not his first interaction with Trump. Last week, he sent a video message to the president, which Trump later shared on his social media platform, Truth Social. Filmed in Kibbutz Kfar Aza, where Siegel was abducted on October 7, the video shows the devastation left by Hamas.
"I am now standing in front of a house in Kfar Aza, the kibbutz where I live," Siegel said. "You can see the enormous destruction left by Hamas in the October 7 massacre." He urged Trump to continue efforts to secure the release of remaining hostages.