The family of hostage Yair Yaakov urged the government to speed up the process of recovering the remaining 53 hostages as part of their eulogy for Yair.
The family of hostage Yair Yaakov, whose body was returned to Israel and laid to rest yesterday, delivered a public statement this evening (Thursday).
Merav Tal, Yair’s wife and a relesed hostage herself, said:
“With endless heartbreak, I still can’t believe I am standing here, speaking about Yaya, my beloved husband, being brought back to his homeland after he was brutally murdered in captivity. His body was returned as part of a complex rescue operation, allowing us to bring him to eternal rest, surrounded by the love of his family and all those who cared for him.”
“My Yaya, my husband, my best friend. We had a loving, blossoming, and joyful home. Just the night before, we celebrated Yaya’s 59th birthday. I want to thank the government and its leadership, the security forces, the diplomatic teams, and the Hostages and Missing Families Forum for their devoted, determined, and moving support, and everyone who has walked this path with us since that terrible moment of the abduction until now.
“Most of all, a huge thank you to the IDF, to the pure-hearted soldiers, to the angels in uniform, whom I love deeply. With endless devotion, they brought Yaya home. Words cannot express the appreciation and love I feel for them. Because of them, I felt embraced, protected, not alone,” Tal added.
“Alongside Yaya’s return, which, despite everything, brings a sense of closure, my heart is with the 53 remaining hostages still suffering in Gaza. I think about them constantly, pray for their safety, and wholeheartedly wish for each and every one of them to return home, to life, to embrace, to hope. Too many lives have been lost in captivity. This must end, for their sake, for their loved ones, and for the State of Israel. I hope that bereaved families, like ours, will at least be able to bury their loved ones, to say goodbye, to grieve, and to begin the difficult road to healing,” she concluded.
Yagil Yaakov, Yair’s son and a released hostage, spoke as well:
“My father, Yair Yaakov, has come home, but not in the way we dreamed. Dad was a simple man, with a huge heart. He loved this land, its fields, its nature, and the small, simple joys of life. He always taught us to appreciate what we have, to smile, to rejoice, and to try to be happy, even when it’s hard. Today, we part from him with aching hearts. It’s hard to imagine we won’t sit with him again, talk with him, hug him.”
“In the midst of all this pain, we want to say thank you. Thank you to the government, the IDF, and all the forces that worked tirelessly, you are our heroes. Thank you to the Hostage Families Forum and its staff for all the support and help we needed. And we want to remind everyone, there are still 53 hostages waiting to come home. I know what it’s like. I was there. We pray that each and every one of them returns quickly to their families. Dear Dad, thank you for all the love, for who you were for us, for what you taught us. We will always love you, your children, Yagil, Or, and Shir. We love you.”
Renana Goma-Yaakov, mother of Shir, Or, and Yagil, added her farewell:
“Yesterday, our real journey began. Day 614 was the longest day of our lives. Yesterday, we were finally able to awaken to a new dawn, a painfully hard closure. Amid all the pain and difficulty, there is a sense of relief that he is now here, on Israeli soil. The phrase ‘eternal rest’ is not just empty words.”
“My children will not get to say goodbye to their father, but they deserve to know that he is here. You fulfilled your moral duty, which is by no means taken for granted. This duty is also a right and a sacred obligation, toward the 53 hostages still held in hellish captivity. I plead with the Israeli government: act immediately to bring back all the captives, living and deceased, in one deal. This pain will not end until each and every one of them is home.”
