The return of the four hostages to their home was celebrated by world media. A crimson woman, who had become a symbol after a video showed her begging for her life and being led on a motorcycle, made headlines in top newspapers like the British Guardian, French Le Monde, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and New York Times. The American war correspondent Trey Yingst from Fox News shared the happy news on his Twitter account, and the German ambassador to Israel, Stefan Seibert, expressed joy and relief at their release.
CNN provided extensive coverage of the event, with Nick Robertson, the International Diplomacy Reporter, commenting on the survivors’ pale appearance after spending 246 days in captivity. World leaders like Carl Nehammer from Austria and Geert Wilders from the Netherlands congratulated the rescue of the hostages, emphasizing the need for the release of all captives. Radoslav Shikorski, the Polish foreign minister, expressed hope for peace between Israel and Palestine as one of the released hostages was an Israeli-Polish citizen.
The spontaneous celebrations in Ramat Gan, accompanied by applause, cheers, and blue and white flags, highlighted the relief felt by the Israeli people at the news of the hostages’ return. Despite the trauma they had endured, there was hope that with care and support, they could overcome their ordeal. World leaders and media outlets continued to express their joy and relief at the happy outcome.