Podcast Episode Details

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-10-15 at 00:08

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HEADLINES
Families hail released hostages, brace rehab
Four hostages' coffins moved for ID
Pro-Palestinian protests shadow World Cup

The time is now 8:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

Good evening. Here is the hourly update on the situation in and around Israel, the fate of released hostages, and related developments as of 8:00 PM.

Relatives of the 20 hostages released on Monday spoke publicly for the first time since their loved ones’ return, detailing both relief and the ongoing toll of two years in captivity. Families described reunions that ranged from profoundly emotional to tightly restrained by the long separation. In many cases, the conversations centered on rehabilitation and the difficult road ahead as the freed captives undergo medical assessments and begin to recover physically and psychologically. Several relatives expressed gratitude to the United States, to activists who pressed for release, and to the Israeli security apparatus and public at large, while a number of voices highlighted disappointment with political leaders they felt did not fully recognize the personal gravity of the ordeal. In at least one notable instance, relatives thanked US officials and the Trump administration for their persistent involvement in securing the return of the hostages, while others chose to omit specific Israeli leaders from their gratitude, underscoring the complex domestic debate over how the release was achieved and who bore responsibility for securing it.

Among those released were several individuals described by families as coming home to long-awaited reunions. Miran, a father of two kidnapped from Kibbutz Nahal Oz, was reunited with his daughters and spoke in emotional terms about the moment of reunion. His wife and the wider family shared messages of thanks to those who helped bring him back. Other freed captives, such as Noa Argamani and Avinatan Or, posted messages and appeared in public remarks reflecting relief and a cautious optimism about healing. Argamani, who reunited with her partner, spoke publicly about the two years of captivity and thanked a broad coalition of supporters, including US officials and activists, while noting that her gratitude did not extend to every Israeli political figure. Netanyahu personally visited some of the released hostages at Beilinson Hospital in Beit She’an Beilinson Hospital’s Beilinson Campus in Petah Tikva, where the prime minister reiterated a commitment to bringing home the bodies of deceased hostages as well as the living.

Medical updates across the hospital system indicate that many freed hostages are undergoing intensive medical testing and procedures to address injuries sustained in captivity. Some are reported to be stable and improving, though others remain physically weakened, with families describing scars, weight loss, and the lingering mental strain of confinement. Several relatives spoke to reporters about the ongoing process of readjustment, including learning to navigate everyday life after the long separation, and re-establishing connections with spouses, children, and other loved ones. In a number of cases, families emphasized the importance of continuing access to medical and psychological support as the healing process continues.

At the same time, four coffins of deceased hostages were transported into Israel under tight security, as the identification and forensic process began at the National Institute of Forensic Medicine in Abu Kabir. Police and forensic teams are coordinating to identify the remains and complete formal procedures, with officers saluting and paying respects as the coffins moved through nearby facilities. Hamas has not provided the identities of the hostages it returned, and the broader assessment remains that the organization still holds the remains of at least 20 other hostages in Gaza. The ongoing ide

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Published on 3 weeks, 1 day ago