Eli Albag, the father of freed hostage Liri Albag, on Sunday praised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and those members of the coalition and opposition who supported the hostage-ceasefire deal, but denounced those who opposed it and those who voted against it, saying that he despises them and that the nation will “settle accounts” with them.
“I want to thank the citizens of Israel, thanks to whom the hostages are starting to come back,” Albag says, speaking to the press at Rabin Medical Center along with other families of the four hostages freed on Saturday — his daughter Liri, Karina Ariev, Naama Levy and Daniella Gilboa.
“Don’t rest and don’t be silent until the last of the hostages comes home,” he implored.
He also appealed to Netanyahu and the Israeli leadership to make sure that all the hostages were returned: “I want to say to the prime minister and the members of the government, to the coalition and the opposition, to those who supported the deal, my heart is with you. Stick with the deal until the end.”
He went on, “To the opponents, the people will settle accounts with you. When you saw my daughter and the three other surveillance soldiers emerge, smiling and proud, where were you, those of you who voted against the deal, when the whole of the nation stood and rejoiced?”
Netanyahu, he said, “took a brave stance.” By contrast, “I despise you, those of you who opposed [the deal].”
Albag appeared to be referring to far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich who voted against the deal and former national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir who quit the government along with the rest of his Otzma Yehudit party to protest the deal.
Albag also thanked former US president Joe Biden, US President Donald Trump, Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, President Isaac Herzog and all the negotiators for their work so far.
Other family members were more conciliatory, giving thanks to those who helped bring their loved ones home.
In their first public statements, the parents and siblings of the four freed hostages thanked the Israeli nation for their continued support throughout nearly 16 months of hostage negotiation struggles, the IDF soldiers for their service, and unanimously, each mentioned and thanked Trump for pushing forward the deal.
Orly Gilboa, mother of Daniella Gilboa, took her appreciation one step further. “If anyone can bring world peace, it’s definitely you,” she said. “We are confident you will do whatever it takes to get us there.”
There was also high praise for Trump’s Mideast envoy Witkoff from Sasha Ariev, sister of Karina Ariev, who spoke in English.
“Dear Mr. Witkoff,” said Ariev, “you are a truly remarkable person. Your care and compassion have been felt in every step of this journey, as if we were all your own children. Thank you for everything you have done and for your kind and generous heart.”
All four speakers repeated one another in their request to the Israeli nation to continue the struggle to bring all the hostages home and to the government to fulfill all stages of the hostage deal. They also all thanked the Hostages and Missing Families Forum for all their help and support over the last 15 months.
They all mentioned Agam Berger, the fifth surveillance soldier who was held with the other four female soldiers until several days ago, but was not released home on Saturday.
Neither was Arbel Yehud and Shiri Bibas, the two remaining female civilians who were meant to be released in these first stages of the hostage deal.
Sasha Ariev, Karina’s older sister, said that Karina knows exactly what it feels like to still be in captivity and not stop thinking about the others.
“We are waiting for Agam, Arbel, Shiri, and all the rest of the hostages,” said Sasha Ariev.
Orly Gilboa, standing next to Daniella’s father, Ran Gilboa, recited the Shehecheyanu blessing of thanks and referred to the Hebrew letter hey added to her daughter’s name while in captivity, changing it to Daniella from Danielle, as a symbol of godly strength.
“My eldest daughter is now just meters away from me,” said Gilboa. “My child who has returned speaking Arabic, thin, pale – this child who suffered in captivity remains the same wonderful and talented girl she was when they took her from us.”
The struggle for the hostages needs to continue, said Yoni Levy, Naama Levy’s father, dressed in a “Bring Them Home Now” Hostages Forum shirt.
“There are still 90 hostages we must bring home,” said Levy. “They are our sons and daughters. The foundations upon which our country is built. And we will have no healing. And we will have no revival. Without the self-evident knowledge that the State of Israel is the father and mother of each of us.”
Albag mourned the loss of the 54 soldiers who fell defending the Nahal Oz base when Hamas attacked on October 7, 2023, and the surveillance soldiers who were killed.
He said his heart is with the families of the fallen soldiers, calling them angels in heaven, and adding: “It is thanks to you that my Liri and all the hostages are coming home.”
“The work is not done,” he stressed. “There are 90 more members of my family there.”
“We can’t smile until the last one comes home,” he said.
Albag concluded by thanking the people of Israel, his family, his daughters, his son, his wife Shira, “the fighter and Liri — [who is] somewhere up there [on a floor higher up inside the hospital].”
“I don’t know where [she is], but I love you,” he said, speaking to Liri.
“And I’m leaving you,” said Albag to the press, “and going to hug her.”
His family completed their statement by all making heart signs with their hands, as Liri did in the IDF helicopter on the way back to Israel on Saturday.