Trump Meets Released Israeli Hostages at Inauguration Event
At his inauguration, Trump met Israeli hostages and discussed freeing January 6 detainees, highlighting ongoing efforts for justice.
Trump, Israel, Hamas, January 6, Hostages, Capitol Riot, Washington D.C.
Washington D.C.: Just a day after the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas kicked in, Donald Trump had a pretty emotional moment at his inauguration. He was on stage with families of Israeli hostages and even a former hostage. It was a big deal, especially since he also talked about the January 6 “hostages.”
Steve Witkoff, who’s Trump’s Middle East envoy, mentioned that some family members and released hostages were there at the Capitol One Arena event. The crowd was really supportive, and the families wore yellow scarves while holding up photos of their loved ones who were taken by Hamas back on October 7, 2023.
One of the most heartbreaking stories was about Noa Argamani. She was just 25 when she was kidnapped from a music festival. The footage of her being taken was gut-wrenching, and it became a symbol of the terror attack that led to the Israel-Gaza War. Her mom, who was really sick, got to see her daughter come home after 245 days but sadly passed away just weeks later.
Many of the families with Trump had lost loved ones, and Witkoff pointed out that they were there to help retrieve bodies for proper burials. Some still have family members who are missing. It was a tough situation, but they walked up to Trump and shook his hand, with Argamani standing right behind him.
Trump was pretty fired up, saying, “So now the work begins. We won! We won! But now the work begins. We have to bring them home.” Then he switched gears and mentioned he’d be signing an executive order about the “J6 hostages,” referring to those involved in the January 6 Capitol riot.
Right after his speech, news broke that one of the most infamous January 6 prisoners, Enrique Tarrio, was set to be released. He had been sentenced to 22 years for his role in the riot, and his mom tweeted that he’d be out soon.
Last week, Trump even took some credit for the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, saying it was a result of his administration’s efforts for peace. He expressed joy that American and Israeli hostages would be reunited with their families.
In the first phase of the deal, three Israeli hostages and 90 Palestinian prisoners were released, with more expected in the coming weeks.