S3 E13. President Trump’s Meeting with Freed Hamas Hostages

On Wednesday, March 5, President Trump welcomed eight men and women who had been held hostage by Hamas into the Oval Office. Most were released since January, having spent 16 months, more or less, in brutal conditions. To a person, they expressed their profound gratitude to President Trump, saying that they believe that it was his election as president that led to their freedom. Among those presentwas 20-year-old Naama Levy, an IDF soldier who had just arrived at the Nahal Oz base from her training course two days before Hamas attacked. She told the President that when she heard on the radio (in captivity) that he had been elected, this lifted the spirits of all the female hostages with whom she was held. They believed that President Trump had the power and determination to fight for their freedom. And he did.

(At the beginning of this podcast, you will hear the audio from this meeting with President Trump. To watch the video as well, please go to our YouTube channel. The link is below.)

This is the story of the tireless efforts of so many to ensure that the desperate plight of the hostages remains at the forefront of Israeli and international public attention, especially in America. There are legions who work quietly and anonymously on this life-saving mission of keeping the hostage story “fresh”. Among them is Moshe Lavi, brother of Lishay Miran Lavi, whose husband, Omri, remains in Hamas Hell. Moshe works closely with the Hostage Family Forum in Tel Aviv, an NGO that formed almost immediately following the October 7 massacre. His tenacity and dedication reflect the best of humanity. We speak with Moshe about how the Oval Office meeting came together, working with hostages, and his interactions with so many newsmakers behind the scenes, among them President Trump’s Special Envoy, Steve Witkoff. It’s a fascinating discussion.

Listen here to the podcast version or tune into our YouTube channel below for the full audio-visual experience. And please, “like” our work on your platform of choice. Share. Comment. Thanks for listening.

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Podcast Notes

* Video of Moshe Lavi speaking at CPAC Conference, NYC, Feb. 20, 2025.

* S3 E9 of State of Tel Aviv Podcast, featuring Lishay Miran Lavi:

* Full episode of Uvda (with English subtitles), featuring an hour-long interview with Eli Sharabi, which aired on February 27, 2025.

* “Sign of life” video video of IDF soldier and Hamas hostage, Matan Angrest, released by Hamas late last week

Representing the Lavi and Miran families is Moshe Emilio Lavi. .Moshe, IDF Captain (reserves), was born and raised in Sderot on the Israel-Gaza border and moved to NYC in September 2023, where he works as a management consultant. Since October 7, he has been advocating alongside his sister, Lishay, and Omri's father, Dani, in Israel, the US, and Europe to bring his brother-in-law Omri and all the hostages home with elected officials, diplomats, the traditional and social media, and the wider public.

Omri Miran, 47 years old, kidnapped from his home in Kibbutz Nahal Oz. Omri, a husband and father of two young daughters, was taken captive by Hamas terrorists from Kibbutz Nahal Oz on October 7, 2023. His wife, Lishay Lavi Miran, 39, and their two daughters—Roni (3 years old) and Alma (1.5 year old)— survived the attack. The harrowing events unfolded when sirens sounded in Nahal Oz, waking the family. As hundreds of Hamas terrorists and their accomplices invaded Nahal Oz, they eventually barged into their house and held them captive for hours in their home and later on in the home of the Idan family. Omri was separated from Lishay, Roni, and Alma and was taken hostage with Tsachi Idan, Judith, and Natalie Raanan. Lishay and the girls were rescued by the IDF that evening after enduring unimaginable trauma.

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