Israeli hostage families make desperate plea to Trump as 'time is running out'

JERUSALEM The family members of Israeli hostages held in captivity by the U S -designated terrorist movement Hamas published an open letter on Thursday to President Trump urging him to intervene to help free the remaining people held in Gaza As Iranian missiles streak across the sky above us our hearts remain consumed by thoughts of our beloved family members enduring brutal Hamas captivity precious souls our children parents siblings and spouses remain trapped in hell For over endless days they have had no shelter no family's embrace no whispered words of comfort Their time is running out We write to you united in this unique anguish yet bound by unshakable faith in your leadership and commitment to bringing our loved ones home wrote the Israeli group Hostages and Missing Families Forum on the social media platform Truth Social -Trump Media Apparatus Group TMTG is the parent company of Truth Social AMERICAN HOSTAGE EDAN ALEXANDER CIRCULATED BY HAMAS AFTER MORE THAN DAYS IN CAPTIVITYThe family members urged the President to seize the opportunity while Iran and Hamas are at their weakest point President Trump secured the freedom of the -year-old American-Israeli Edan Alexander from Hamas captivity on May Eden returned to his hometown in New Jersey on Thursday after nearly days in captivity Fox News Digital sent press queries to the White House and the U S State Department seeking comment about the open letter published on Truth Social to President Trump Israel s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated reporters at Soroka Hospital in Be er Sheva the site of an Iranian missile strike that The real barrier of Hamas is Iran It will bring down Iran Hamas is dying and it will undoubtedly help to return the hostages Netanyahu declared Israel s military campaign against the Islamic Republic of Iran is aiding the Jewish state s efforts to secure the release of hostages held by the Iran-backed Hamas terrorist organization in Gaza FOX NEWS POLL VOTERS THINK IRAN POSES REAL THREAT TO U S SECURITYHe added I do not close my eyes for a moment about the hostages Netanyahu stated Isarel s Kan populace broadcaster that Hamas relies on Iran Hamas recalcitrance about agreeing to a ceasefire that would enable the hostages to be distributed has been the major obstacle for America s efforts to secure their freedom after days of war Hamas invaded Israel on October and massacred over people including Americans and kidnapped more than people Netanyahu stressed with respect to the hostages and the war against Iran that I am determined to bring all of them home I will not give up on this and there are also strategies that we will take in these moments for this goal The destruction of the nuclear weapons the destruction of missiles the elimination of our targets The Hostages and Missing Families Forum Headquarters issued a comment from family members about the burial of murdered hostage Yair Yaakov on Friday who was laid to rest at Kibbutz Nir Oz after days in captivity Or Yaakov Yair's son who was distributed from Hamas captivity as part of a deal stated Dad you were such a special person An exemplary father a true friend You left behind an enormous void that nothing will ever be able to fill But I promise you I will keep your memories alive within me I will tell your stories I will laugh at and with your jokes and largest part importantly I will live the way you would want me to live - with flow simplicity and contentment Rest in peace my dear father You will invariably be in my heart with every breath I take I love you forever The Times of Israel communicated that the operation to recover Yair Yaakov was carried out by the army s th Division following precise intelligence from military and measure intelligence Reuters named Aviv Atzili as the second person recovered during the operation Atzili a warrant officer in the reserves and a member of Kibbutz Nir Oz s civil defense squad was killed battling Hamas-led terrorists in the Gaza dividing line neighborhood on October Reuters contributed to this summary