RELEASE: Gottheimer Statement on the Recently Announced Agreement to Bring Home the Hostages

WASHINGTON, D.C — Today, Wednesday, October 8, 2025, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) released the following statement on the recently announced agreement to bring home the hostages taken by Hamas terrorists during the October 7th attacks:

“For 734 days, the faces of 251 hostages have hung on the wall outside my office. Every day, they have stood as a reminder of all of the work yet to be done, and our enduring promise to return all those held captive. That is why I wholeheartedly celebrate today’s agreement that will bring home all the remaining hostages taken in the vicious October 7 attacks and pave the way for a better future for Israelis and Palestinians. My heart is with the families who have never stopped fighting and who will finally see their loved ones return home — something we have all fought and prayed for since that horrific day two years ago.

Since October 7, it has been my top priority to ensure that every hostage returns home. From traveling to Qatar and Egypt to the UAE and Israel, to pushing the Administration at every level, we’ve worked to carry out the mitzvah of returning captives. Just yesterday, I met with families of hostages and survivors of captivity, as I have done on countless occasions, to push for the safe return of their loved ones. 

I’m deeply grateful to the American leadership that made this deal possible, and all those who worked tirelessly over the last two years to help. As we move toward a lasting end to the war, we must ensure that Israel’s long-term security is upheld and that the Hamas terrorists who started this war have no future in Gaza. Now is the time to achieve peace, to heal, and to deepen the ties between Israel and its neighbors in the region. 

There’s more work ahead, but today gives us reason to hope — for the hostages, their families, and for the prospect of a better future.”

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