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JFNA UPDATES

The Greater Miami Jewish Federation Israel Emergency Fund supports the work of our partners in Israel through the collective efforts of the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA). Below are the latest updates about our work.

Click here for details on JFNA's allocations thus far.

October 13, 2025 - October 7 War, Day 738, 28 hostage bodies remain in captivity    

  
JOYOUS AND HISTORIC DAY IN ISRAEL
 

On the eve of Simchat Torah in Israel, exactly two years since the nightmare began:
 

  • Jubilation in Israel as all 20 remaining live hostages have been returned to the Jewish state and reunited with their families
  • US President Donald Trump speaks before the Knesset and meets released hostages and families
  • Netanyahu is  invited to join a large group of Middle Eastern leaders, alongside President Trump. Speculation that Indonesian leader may arrive in Israel on an unprecedented visit
  • All hostages are in reasonable physical condition
  • An entire nation breathes a giant sigh of relief
 
 
See Jewish Federations of North America’s statement here. And see this page 3 notice from Jewish Federations in today’s Jerusalem Post special edition.

Hostages Released

  • All 20 remaining hostages have been released by Hamas as part of the historic agreement to end the war. No live hostages are still in Gaza.
  • The released, all men, are in reasonable physical condition, and have been reunited with their families. Most appear to be thin and pale, but standing on their own feet and smiling.
  • Each of the hostages was handed over to the Red Cross inside Gaza. The international organization then transported the freed men across the border into Israel and presented them to the IDF. After a short security and medical check, the hostages were reunited with their families, before being transported by helicopter to hospitals inside Israel where dedicated units had been set up to welcome them and deal with their immediate needs.
  • Across Israel, and especially in Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, millions of Israelis have gathered in public places and around their television screens, (as have Jews across the world). Scenes of jubilation, unrestrained crying, dancing, and singing are being broadcast across the world.
  • The 20 released hostages are:
    1. Yosef-Haim Ohana
    2. Alon Ohel
    3. Matan Angrest
    4. Gali Berman
    5. Ziv Berman
    6. Guy Gilboa-Dalal
    7. Eitan Mor
    8. Omri Miran
    9. Avinatan Or
    10. Elkana Bohbot
    11. Rom Braslavski
    12. Evyatar David
    13. Eitan Horn
    14. Maxim Herkin
    15. Nimrod Cohen
    16. Segev Kalfon
    17. Matan Zangauker
    18. Ariel Cunio
    19. David Cunio
    20. Bar Kupershtein
  • Later today, Hamas will begin transferring the coffins of four of the 28 slain hostages. At this stage, it is not clear how many bodies Hamas has been able to locate.

President Trump Visit

  • President Trump landed in Israel at 9:00am local time today and was greeted at the airport by President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and other senior Israeli leaders. Herzog said, “Welcome to Israel. The Israeli people welcome you with so much love and so much gratitude! Thank you for all you have done to bring our hostages home! Thank you for your commitment to building a better future of peace in our region! God bless Israel! God bless America!”
  • Before landing, Air Force One made a low-altitude flyby over Hostage Square in Tel Aviv where tens of thousands were watching the news on giant screens.
  • Trump traveled straight to the Knesset where he became the fourth US President to address Israel’s parliament. Upon arrival, Trump said, “This is a great day, the war is over.”
  • Jewish Federations of North America are being represented at the event by Senior Vice President Rebecca Caspi, who also heads our Israel Office.
  • At the Knesset, Trump also met with Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders, as well as with deceased and returning hostages, wounded IDF soldiers, those who were injured in terrorist attacks on October 7, and bereaved families.
  • Trump is being treated with hero-like status in Israel for his role in securing the hostages’ release. Some television reporters are even going so far as to predict a wave of Israeli babies to be named Donald in the near future. There are also proposals to change the name of Hostages Square to “Trump Square.”


Major Regional Developments

  • Trump will head next to Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt for a summit with regional Middle Eastern leaders.
  • A short time ago, in a surprise development, President Al-Sisi of Egypt, who has refused to meet with Netanyahu until now, called the Israeli Prime Minister and invited him to join the regional summit. Netanyahu has declined due to the Simchat Torah festival.
  • There is considerable speculation that the President of Indonesia, a country with no diplomatic relations with Israel (and the largest Muslim country in the world), will visit Israel. This marks an unprecedented move that could signal the expansion of the Abraham Accords.

Emotional Reunions

  • Numerous moving, and highly emotional scenes of reunions between hostages and their families, as well as the IDF, have been recorded. A sample can be seen here:
    • Guy Gilboa-Dalal: Video and photos.
    • Avinatan Or: Photos
    • Video of Evyatar David and Avinatan Or’s families watching live as he is transferred to the IDF in Israel.
    • Photo of twin hostages Gali and Ziv Berman, both big fans of the Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer club, wearing team shirts they changed into, on their way to the hospital.
    • Eitan Mor: Video and photos
    • Matan Zangauker: Video and photos
    • Rom Broslavski: Video
    • Eitan Horn: Photo
    • Segev Kalfon being transferred from the Red Cross to the IDF

Read full update...

Previous Updates

Monday October 13, 2025
Tuesday September 30, 2025
Thursday September 18, 2025
Thursday September 11, 2025
Thursday September 4, 2025
Thursday August 28, 2025
Thursday August 21, 2025
Thursday August 14, 2025
Thursday August 7, 2025
Thursaday July 31, 2025
Thursday July 24, 2025
Thursday July 17, 2025
Thursday July 10, 2025
Tuesday June 24, 2025
Sunday June 22, 2025
Thursday June 19, 2025
Wednesday June 18, 2025
Tuesday June 17, 2025
Monday June 16, 2025
Sunday June 15, 2025
Thursday June 13, 2025
Thursday June 5, 2025
Thursday May 29, 2025
Thursday May 22, 2025
Thursday May 15, 2025

Thursday May 8, 2025
Thursday April 30, 2025
Thursday April 24, 2025
Thursday April 10, 2025
Thursday April 3, 2025
Thursday March 27, 2025
Thursday March 20, 2025
Thursday March 13, 2025
Thursday March 6, 2025
Thursday February 27, 2025
Thursday February 20, 2025
Thursday February 13, 2025
Thursday February 6, 2025
Thursday January 30, 2025
Thursday January 23, 2025
Thursday January 16, 2025
Thursday January 9, 2025
Thursday December 19, 2024
Thursday December 12, 2024

Thursday December 5, 2024
Wednesday November 27, 2024
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Saturday, October 7, 2023

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