Hostage Families Urge US Envoy Witkoff to Demand Return of Deceased Loved Ones

The families of Israeli hostages are making an emotional appeal to U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, urging him to press Hamas to fulfill its obligation and return the remaining deceased hostages still held in Gaza. Their plea comes as only four out of 28 deceased hostages have been returned following Monday’s landmark hostage deal and ceasefire.

In a letter published Tuesday, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum thanked Witkoff for his recent visit to Israel and described his commitment as a “historic moment” that gave them strength. They recalled his powerful words during that visit that he would “dig with [his] own fingers to find our loved ones left behind.” Those words, they said, have been etched in their hearts.

“We are immensely grateful and overjoyed to see 20 of our loved ones back home,” the letter read. “But we cannot rest while 24 souls remain unaccounted for beneath Gaza’s rubble.”

The group called on Witkoff to “pull out every stop and leave no stone unturned” in holding Hamas accountable to the 72-hour deadline set by the ceasefire agreement a deadline that, according to the families, Hamas has already violated by failing to return all hostages, both living and deceased.

While the release of the last living hostages was widely celebrated across Israel and hailed by President Trump as a “great victory for peace,” the families of the deceased are now facing renewed anguish. Without the return of their loved ones’ remains, they are denied the most basic closure the ability to mourn properly and bury their dead in the land they called home.

Behind the scenes, diplomatic pressure is intensifying. Witkoff, who played a key role in brokering the initial hostage deal, is now seen as a crucial figure in bringing this final chapter to a close. His influence and America’s unique leverage in the region could determine whether these 24 families will be able to begin healing.

In times of grief, Jewish tradition teaches the sanctity of honoring the dead. For these families, that honor begins with bringing their loved ones home.

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