(13 May 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tel Aviv, Israel – 13 May 2025
1. Various of U.S. special Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff arriving at Hostage’s Square, meeting with people and walking
2. Witkoff walking, pan to people carrying posters of hostages and placards and shouting, UPSOUND (English) "Bring them home now" and pan to Witkoff walking
3. Trump’s envoy for hostage affairs, Adam Boehler, arriving
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Adam Boehler, Trump’s envoy for hostage affairs:
"I think the U.S. Is committed to all Americans and all Israelis here. So we’re doing our job. I don’t think about it not as Israel… what they don’t do, I don’t think about what we do. And there was a lot of back and forth together."
Reporter: "Are you guys committed to release all the other hostages? It’s been so long."
Boehler: "The president has said all the hostages. One thing you’ll find with this president is that he sticks with his promises."
Reporter: "Adam, do you think Israel will resume war at the end of the week when President Trump finishes his trip in the Middle East?"
Boehler: "I think that that is up to Israel and they’ll consult with the president. I can’t say. Here’s the one thing I will say is: this is a moment for Israelis. It was extremely important for Edan Alexander to be put forward, to be released. And I think there is hope of change now."
Reporter: "Do you think that there’s a chance now to see a big deal for the release of all remaining 58 hostages and the end of the war?"
Boehler: "I think there’s a better chance now than before. I mean, I think Hamas knows that they could pull a deal any day that they want. They need to approach Trump, they need to approach Bibi, and they need set this up the right way. Thank you very much."
5. Boehler entering building
STORYLINE:
The U.S. special Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff met privately with families of the hostages in Tel Aviv’s Hostage’s Square on Tuesday.
Witkoff said he met with Edan Alexander, the Israeli-American soldier released on Monday, and that he was an “incredibly resilient young man.”
Hamas released Alexander who had been held hostage in Gaza for more than 19 months, offering a goodwill gesture toward Trump that could lay the groundwork for a new ceasefire.
Witkoff said negotiations for a more lasting ceasefire have begun, and that he hopes more hostages could be released soon.
Dozens of people stood in the Square and chanted “Bring them home now!”
Witkoff also spoke with and embraced Ruby Chen, whose Israeli-American son, Itay Chen, was abducted to Gaza and later pronounced dead. His body is still held in Gaza.
Trump’s hostage negotiator Adam Boehler also was at the square and told reporters "We’re doing our job… There was a lot of back and forth together."
Asked if he sees there’s a new chance for a deal to release all the hostages, he said, "I think there’s a better chance now than before."
The visits to the Hostage’s Square by the Trump’s envoys come as the U.S. president is in Saudi Arabia, the first leg of his three-nation visit to the Middle East this week meant to tackle multiple crises and conflicts across the region.
AP video shot by Ami Bentov
===========================================================
Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel +44(0)2074827482 Email: info@aparchive.com.
Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/
You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/c0bf4c5080b14b4e883a47fef6c89090
Author: AP Archive
Go to Source
News post in May 18, 2025, 12:04 pm.
Visit Our Sponsor’s:
News Post In – News
