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Noam Tibon

Steve Witkoff, the Israeli people are with you

I've been under fire, including battling terrorists on October 7 to rescue my family -- my advice to you is don't fear the attacks
US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff speaks at an indoor Presidential Inauguration parade event in Washington, January 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff speaks at an indoor Presidential Inauguration parade event in Washington, January 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

On October 7, 2023, I drove from Tel Aviv to Nahal Oz, a kibbutz on the border with Gaza, armed only with a pistol, in an attempt to save my family and their neighbors. After long hours of fighting Hamas terrorists and rescuing injured soldiers along the way, I finally reached the kibbutz, around 1 pm. When I got there, I saw something I will never forget.

Just before the entrance to the kibbutz, I noticed a pillar of black smoke rising to the sky. It came from the Nahal Oz military base across the road from my son’s community. Inside this base, Hamas killed more than 50 soldiers and kidnapped another 10. The terrorists then set the place on fire. Very few soldiers survived the massacre that occurred there on that day.

But this weekend, 15 months later, a miracle happened. Four brave female soldiers who were abducted from this base were brought back to their families, alive. They survived inhumane conditions in the hands of barbaric terrorists. They had been abandoned on October 7 by a military and a government that failed to listen to their warnings of the impending Hamas attack and were then left languishing in Gaza for far too long. Their families had to demonstrate in the streets and fight for their release, while too many politicians in our government prioritized other considerations above the lives of these young women.

But now, they are home.

US President Donald Trump made a critical difference in this saga, simply by insisting that a deal to bring them back must be signed. Not next week, not next month – now. Without his insistence, sadly, I don’t believe these brave soldiers and the other hostages who returned home in the current deal would be with us now. For the entirety of 2024, Israel managed to rescue only seven living hostages from Gaza via military operations. Then, in a single week at the start of 2025, we got back seven hostages through a diplomatic deal, with many more slated to come soon.

I believe President Trump deserves the lion’s share of credit for this achievement. But I also want to applaud one man whose contribution to this miracle should never be forgotten, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. This man has become the greatest source of hope for the families of the hostages – families who lost faith in so many leaders and politicians, but trust this man. They know he speaks for the President. And they know he’s willing to fight for them.

To Mr. Witkoff, I say: I know there are those with a political agenda who are attacking you. I have been under fire many times in my life, including on October 7, when I had to battle terrorists in order to reach my family. My advice to you is don’t fear the attacks. Don’t even think about them. The vast majority of Israelis appreciate the work you are doing and want to see the ceasefire deal implemented until the last hostage comes home. The Israeli people support you.

And remember, if you see this deal through until the end, you will also open the door for President Trump to usher in the historic peace agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia. This will be worthy of a Nobel Peace Prize, but even more important, it will make Israel safer and stronger for generations.

About the Author
Major General (Ret) Noam Tibon served in the IDF for 35 years, specializing in combat operations and counterterrorism. He began his distinguished military career in the IDF special forces and later held a number of senior command positions, including commander of the 202 Paratroopers Battalion, the Nahal Brigade, and the West Bank Division. His last position was commander of the Northern Formation, where he was responsible for securing Israel’s northern border with Lebanon. Major General Tibon is one of Israel’s top experts on counterterrorism, a field on which he has advised local and international companies since his retirement from the IDF in 2015. Today, Tibon works to create employment opportunities for Arab citizens of Israel and Palestinians in the Israeli high-tech industry.
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