President Donald Trump’s envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff spoke on Monday night at a ceremony in Miami marking 500 days since the October 7 massacre, stressing, “I promise we are not leaving anybody behind.”
Standing on stage alongside relatives of the hostages, who wore shirts bearing images of their loved ones, Witkoff declared, “We are leaving no one behind,” earning applause from the audience.
Steve Witkoff, Special Envoy to the Middle East, at a ceremony marking 500 days to October 7 in Miami: “We are not leaving anybody behind.” pic.twitter.com/nsLtR7CcLx
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) February 17, 2025
Five hundred days have passed since Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on the residents of Israel, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people and the kidnapping of 251. Today, 73 hostages remain in captivity in Gaza, and they must be brought home.
The entire agenda of Israeli society has undergone a profound shift. Once consumed by debates over legal reform, the nation has been thrust into prolonged shock, pain, and uncertainty. However, in recent weeks, there have been fleeting moments of happiness and unity—brief escapes from the sorrow—especially on consecutive Shabbat days, when the entire people of Israel come together, filled with hope and anticipation for the return of another group of three hostages.
The political and security cabinet is set to convene on Monday at 6:30 PM at the Kirya in Tel Aviv to discuss the opening of phase two negotiations with Hamas, the terror group’s demand to allow 60,000 caravans into the northern Gaza Strip, and Israel’s continued actions in light of President Trump’s ultimatum to Hamas to release all the remaining hostages or suffer hell’s fury.
Meanwhile, an Israeli delegation will depart for Cairo on Monday to resume negotiations with Hamas. Israel’s three key demands remain: the release of all the hostages, alive and dead, the dismantling of Hamas’s military wing, and the expulsion of the organization’s leaders from the Gaza Strip.
It is estimated that beyond the remaining six hostages who are included in phase one, there are only 14 to 16 living hostages remaining, four of them IDF soldiers.
Speaking at Sunday’s cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “I coined two words: ‘Total victory.’ We received a lot of criticism for this and much mockery, but it is clear to everyone that we stand before an opportunity to achieve victories that we did not dream of.”
