After 738 days in captivity, the State of Israel has welcomed home 20 Israeli hostages freed by Hamas.

This was even as the State of Israel expressed gratitude to United States’ President, Donald Trump, for the role he played in ensuring the release of the hostages.

The Embassy of Israel in Nigeria, in a statement issued in Abuja, joined the people of Israel, the global Jewish community, and all people of goodwill in celebrating the release of the 20 Israeli hostages whom it said, “have finally returned home after 738 harrowing days in captivity under the evil terror organisation, Hamas.”

The Embassy of Israel also said the long-awaited moment was one of profound relief, national unity, and moral victory.

“It reminds the world of Israel’s enduring commitment to the sanctity of life and to the defense of its citizens against terror and tyranny,” the Embassy of Israel said.

It further said from the beginning, Israel made it clear that it didn’t want the war and did not start it.

“The conflict began two years ago, on October 7, 2023, a sacred Jewish holiday, when thousands of Hamas terrorists invaded Israel, committing acts of unimaginable cruelty, murdering, torturing, raping, and burning alive innocent Israelis in their homes and at a peaceful music festival.

 

“Since that day, Hamas has brought unimaginable suffering, not only to Israel, but to the people of Gaza, deliberately using civilians as human shields, hiding in and beneath mosques, schools, and hospitals, and turning homes into arsenals of terror. Their crimes have violated every moral, human, and legal principle.

“For two years, Israel has faced lies, distortions and blood libels, false and immoral accusations of deliberate starvation and genocide, while defending its citizens and seeking the return of its kidnapped sons and daughters. Israel has acted with moral clarity, guided by international law, and motivated by a deep moral commitment to protect life, even as its enemies sought to pervert truth and justice.

“Today, Israel celebrates the return of its people and looks forward to the dawn of peace and stability in the region,” the Embassy of Israel also said.

Responding to the development, the Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, said: “Today, we welcome home the 20 living hostages who have endured the unendurable. We give thanks for their survival, and we pray for their healing. We remember with broken hearts those who did not make it home, and we renew our commitment to bring back the bodies of the 28 remaining hostages who were murdered by Hamas.

“Israel did not seek this war. It was forced upon us by terror, hatred, and darkness. But after 738 days, we also see light; the light of freedom, the light of truth, and the light of hope.

“As Israel has always said, the release of the hostages will bring the end of the war. The end of this war must bring an end to Hamas’s reign of terror, and open the door to a future of security, dignity and coexistence for Israelis and Palestinians alike.

“We extend our deepest gratitude to President Donald J. Trump, whose steadfast leadership, moral clarity, and tireless diplomacy played an instrumental role in bringing our hostages home and in advancing peace in the Middle East. His friendship with Israel and his courage in standing with the Israeli people will never be forgotten.