Witkoff, Kushner And Ivanka Trump Lead Emotional Tel Aviv Rally As Trump Praised For Hostage Deal

More than half a million people packed Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square on Saturday night for what organizers hoped would be the final rally demanding the release of those still held in Gaza. US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, along with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, were greeted with thunderous applause as they joined the crowd in celebrating the US-brokered ceasefire and hostage release deal set to bring all captives home by Monday.

Taking the stage first, Witkoff declared, “Miracles can happen,” and promised the hostages, “You are coming home.” The crowd roared its approval, waving Israeli and American flags alongside yellow banners representing the hostages.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which organized the rally, claimed attendance surpassed 500,000. Witkoff estimated over 100,000 people were present, calling it “the most powerful sight — hearts beating as one, gathered here in Tel Aviv for peace, for unity and for hope in this sacred place we call Hostages Square.”

“I only wish the president was here,” Witkoff said, referring to President Donald Trump, who was instrumental in brokering the ceasefire and is expected to visit Israel on Monday. The crowd cheered at the mention of Trump’s name and booed loudly when Witkoff mentioned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The envoy credited Trump, Kushner, Arab and Muslim leaders, Netanyahu and his adviser Ron Dermer for their roles in reaching the agreement, which ends a two-year war sparked by Hamas’s October 7, 2023, massacre. Under the deal, 48 hostages, including 20 believed to be alive, are expected to be freed by Monday in exchange for roughly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, including 250 convicted terrorists.

“Tonight we celebrate something extraordinary,” said Witkoff. “When courage meets conviction, miracles can happen. Peace born not out of politics, but out of courage.” He praised Israelis’ resilience, calling their strength “the highest form of courage” and thanking Trump for “proving that bold leadership and moral clarity can reshape history.”

Although interrupted by boos when mentioning Netanyahu, Witkoff pressed on, saying, “He was a very important part here… the prime minister and his staff have both sacrificed so much for this country.”

The envoy thanked Arab and Muslim leaders including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Qatar’s Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for helping make the deal possible. “Thank you for showing that the future of this region can be built not on the ashes of old hatred, but on the promise of shared hope,” he said.

Witkoff also paid tribute to the hostages’ families, calling them “the moral weight of this nation,” and to the victims of Hamas’s attack and fallen soldiers. “Their memory is a blessing,” he said. “Their sacrifice will never be forgotten. This peace is their legacy.”

He ended his remarks with a blessing: “May God bless the hostages and their families as they return home. May God bless the state of Israel. May God bless the United States of America. And may God bless Donald J. Trump, the greatest president the world has ever seen.”

Though Trump was not present,  families of hostages praised him repeatedly. “This success has one father — President Trump,” said Itzik Horn, whose son Eitan is among those slated for release. “We’ll find those responsible for the failures, but this success belongs to him.”

Kushner followed Witkoff onstage, describing October 7 as “a shattering day” that left him “shocked to [his] core.” He said he was determined to “see the hostages come home” and praised Israel for showing “exceptional restraint and dignity” throughout the war.

“We’re not going to celebrate tonight,” Kushner told the crowd. “We’ll celebrate on Monday.” He expressed faith that from this trauma “will rise a level of greatness and leadership that Israel has never seen,” and he thanked “the amazing soldiers of the IDF” for their bravery.

Ivanka Trump then spoke briefly on behalf of her father, saying, “The president wanted me to share that he sees you, he hears you, he stands with you always.” She described the hostages’ return as “a triumph of faith, of courage, and of our shared humanity.”

Yet the night was not without sorrow. Ruby Chen, whose son Itay Chen’s body is expected to be returned under the deal, warned that “this is not a happy occasion,” noting that some families still fear not all remains will be found. Channel 12 reported that Witkoff had told hostage families on Friday that locating all bodies could prove difficult.

Chen urged Israel not to repeat past mistakes: “The quiet that was bought through the non-return of Hadar and Oron led to October 7, and that must not happen again.” The crowd answered his plea with a resounding “Yes!”

In Jerusalem, parallel rallies were held where participants read out the names of all hostages and declared “Returning!” after each one. Among those speaking were Yael Engel Lichi, aunt of freed hostage Ofir Engel, and Rachel Goldberg-Polin, mother of Hersh Goldberg-Polin Hy’d. Rachel spoke movingly about “the pain of parents who know what it’s like to get your child returned in a bag.”

Her husband Jon Polin thanked IDF soldiers and negotiators and said, “Trump strong-armed the deal down the throats of decision makers — and we thank him for it.” He urged the crowd to continue pushing until every hostage is home.

“You caused this deal to happen,” Polin told the masses. “We are not done yet until they are all home.”