One of the most consequential moments in history unfolded this morning in the Middle East. The long nightmare for the families of the Israeli hostages is over.
Hours ago, all 20 of the survivors were released into the arms of their loved ones – and I cannot get enough of the videos. They are incredible. We are going to go through some of them here, and you can watch the incredible moments in the video below.
The Survivors
Among those released, 25-year-old Matan Zangauker. He was kidnapped from his home on October 7. His final text to his mother that day was, “Mom, I love you. Someone is here.” Last week, when his mother found out he would be released, she said the moment she was looking forward to the most was when her son’s eyes could sink into her own. Today she got that moment.
It was amazing to watch. In each one of these videos, they are holding onto each other like they might never see each other again. It is exactly the way you would hold on to your son if you hadn’t seen him in two years because he was in the hands of a terrorist group in some cave. You can feel the relief, the joy, and the gratitude. It is oozing out of the screen, and it is just one of the reasons why it is so emotional to watch these.
Also among the released, 24 year old Evyatar David. Evyatar was kidnapped from the Nova festival in southern Israel. In August, Hamas released a video of him looking completely emaciated while digging in an underground tunnel. When his family was shown the video, his father said he did not even recognize that it was his son. Today, Evyatar blew kisses to the crowd of onlookers as he arrived at a hospital in Israel. He still looks thin, but he was smiling and he was waving.
Another hostage released was seen in one of the most widely shared videos of the October 7 attack. Avinatan Or was at the Nova Music Festival with his girlfriend Noa Argamani when Hamas terrorists attacked. They spent hours hiding in a ditch, but they were discovered by the terrorists. Noa was filmed being driven off toward Gaza on a motorbike. You could see nothing but stress on her distress on her face. She cried, “Don’t kill me,” while reaching for Avinatan.
They were both kidnapped, but Noa was freed after an Israeli military operation in June 2024. Avinatan’s mother once said about finding out that he was a hostage: “It’s like lightning striking, but from all directions at once. Then, all the light inside of you disappears, and the darkness means no thoughts, no emotions, no air. Just nothing.”
Today, he is free. In the first images of his release, he was shown pumping his fist. He was later reunited with Noa. Hopefully, they can get past this nightmare and they will have a long and happy life together. We are all praying for them.
One of the most emotional scenes today came from the family of Segev Kalfon. He, too, was taken from the Nova Music Festival. He called his family that day as he was trying to run from the terrorists. They never heard from him again and only found out in February of this year that he was still alive. When Segev was reunited with his family, he tried to keep it together but then wailed with emotion at the first sight of his loved ones.
The Victims
It is so emotional to watch the raw emotion. I am sure both he and his family thought he was going to die for the entirety of those two years. Why would you put any faith whatsoever in Hamas? So many of them did die.
One of the things we are still waiting on today is the release of the deceased bodies. Hamas has not complied with the obligation to release them contemporaneously with the live hostages. As we came to air, only four of the deceased bodies had been returned. That will be a fight we will see play out in the coming days as they try to retrieve them from under rubble. In some cases, we are told they are not sure where the remains are.
So, thank God all of these men are okay. It easily could have gone another way.
Method to the ‘Madness’
This isn’t some big promo for President Trump, but, every time I see one of these reunification videos, I do think of him. What is it in that crazy mind of his that just let him never give up? What sort of madness – in the best sense – drives our president to say, ‘No, I can get it done. I can do it’?
No, I’ll keep going through the indictments. I don’t care that my freedom is in jeopardy.
No, I know I was just shot in the head, but I’m going to stand up and say, “Fight, fight, fight,” when we don’t know whether the shooter is dead.
No, I don’t care that they impeached me twice. I am going to run again. They are trying to keep me off ballots. They are trying to attack my family. No, I am going to run, and I am going to win.
No, I don’t care that you tell me I can’t send troops there because people are dying, and I want to make sure ICE officers are protected. I am going to find a way to do it because I know it is what’s right.
In the case of this war, President Trump said, ‘Time to wrap it up, but there has to be a way of getting the hostages out. We have to apply pressure. That’s my business. What are the pressure points? Go to Qatar; go to Egypt; go to Turkey. Make it worth their while, so that they can lean on the Palestinians in a way that the United States cannot because we lack the leverage.’
There is something in his head that just doesn’t let him take no for an answer. He is a miracle worker. That is what it feels like.
Goodness to Be Had
Early this morning, President Trump flew to Israel to meet with the families of the hostages and address the Knesset. Then, he was off to Egypt. What he is doing over there is superhuman. The man is 79 years old. It is incredible. Addressing the Israeli parliament, he spoke about what has been achieved and his new hope for the region:
“…After two harrowing years in darkness and captivity, 20 courageous hostages are returning to the glorious embrace of their families. And it is glorious. Twenty-eight more precious loved ones are coming home at last to rest in this sacred soil for all of time. And after so many years of unceasing war and endless danger, today the skies are calm, the guns are silent, the sirens are still, and the sun rises on a holy land that is finally at peace; a land and a region that will live, God willing, in peace for all eternity…
I love Israel. I’m with you all the way. You will be bigger, better, stronger, and more loving than ever before. Thank you very much. God bless you. God bless the United States of America. And God bless the Middle East. Thank you, everybody. Good luck.”
This is a wonderful, wonderful day, and we should celebrate. God bless the United States of America. God bless President Trump. God bless the Middle East, just as he put it. That is not an accidental turn of phrase. Other presidents used to just say “Israel,” and President Trump intentionally widened it to say: We’re looking at all of you. We’re here for all of you. There is goodness to be had for all of us.
You can check out Megyn’s full analysis by tuning in to episode 1,170 on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you like to listen. And don’t forget that you can catch The Megyn Kelly Show live on SiriusXM’s Triumph (channel 111) weekdays from 12pm to 2pm ET.