Trump Writes Oct. 7 Letter to Israeli Hostages' Families

President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he was "resolved to returning" all the Israeli hostages held by Hamas, and vowed the "total destruction" of the terrorist group in a letter to captives' families.

The letter was dated Oct. 7, 2023, the second anniversary of Hamas' attack on Israel in which roughly 1,200 people were killed and about 250 were taken hostage by the terrorists and brought to Gaza.

First reported by Axios’ Barak Ravid on X, the letter was addressed to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum to thank the members for nominating the president for a Nobel Peace Prize.

In the letter, Trump expressed solidarity with the families still awaiting the return of loved ones and pledged his administration’s ongoing commitment to ending the conflict.

"Since the abhorrent events of October 7, 2023, that saw families ripped apart, children torn from their parents' arms, and innocent people shot, killed, and raped, I have been resolved to returning all the hostages home, and ensuring the total destruction of Hamas so these horrific acts may never be repeated," wrote Trump, whose peace plan for the Gaza war is being discussed by Israeli officials and Hamas members in Egypt.

The president praised the families' "strength" and "advocacy," noting that his administration remained "steadfastly committed" to ending both the war and the rise in antisemitism around the world.

Trump also reaffirmed his "foreign policy of peace through strength," envisioning "a time when, one day, the terror and bloodshed will end."

The letter concluded with a prayer for the families, Israel, and the U.S.

"May God bless you and your loved ones, and may He continue to bless the United States of America and the State of Israel, as we pray that this conflict will be at an end in the coming days—or else," Trump wrote.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum is a civil, volunteer-based organization focused on the safe return of all Israeli citizens held hostage by Hamas.