Jerry Seinfeld meets with freed Israeli hostages, families of captives

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld met Monday with several of the hostages freed by Hamas and the families of those still held captive in Gaza.

The 69-year-old “Seinfeld” actor — who worked on a kibbutz in Israel as a teen — arrived in Tel Aviv with his wife Jessica to attend an event held by the Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum, where he spoke with the former hostages and relatives for hours to show his support over their plight.

“Seinfeld told the families that he feels a deep commitment to raising awareness around the world about the issue of the hostages,” the forum said in a statement.

The organization said those in attendance “thank the Seinfeld family for their moving visit to the families’ headquarters and their unwavering support for the families of the hostages.”

At the event, the comedian was seen wearing a “Bring them home” dog tag around his neck, a symbol of solidarity for the nearly 130 hostages that remain captive in Gaza.

Seinfeld went on to join a group Tuesday morning visiting Kibbutz Be’eri, one of the villages destroyed by Hamas on Oct. 7, as well as the location of the Nova rave, where more than 300 people were slaughtered.

The Jewish American comedian has said he worked on a kibbutz when he was 16 and that he will “always stand with Israel and the Jewish people.”

After the terrorist attack that killed more than 1,200 people, Seinfeld joined hundreds of celebrities to condemn the attacks as an act of “evil.

“There is no justification or rationalization for Hamas’ actions,” the actors’ letter read. “These are barbaric acts of terrorism that must be called out by everyone.”

While the former hostages and families of those still held captive appeared thrilled to meet with Seinfeld, they are much less pleased with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is set to meet with a group of only 15 of them Tuesday.

The group has expressed frustration that only a chosen few of them get to meet with Netanyahu in Tel Aviv, claiming the others are repeatedly being left out of the loop, The Times of Israel said.

A previous meeting with the former hostages and the families of those held captive saw the prime minister and his war cabinet grilled over the stalled negotiations to free all those still being held.

The Jewish state believes that there are still 128 hostages in Gaza, not all of them alive, after a weeklong truce agreement that resulted in 105 captives being freed.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog claimed Tuesday that his nation was prepared for a second pause in fighting — as long as Hamas adheres to the agreed-upon rules — during a meeting with ambassadors from 80 countries. The previous cease-fire was fueled by the release of Hamas hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, as well as increased humanitarian aid flowing into war-torn Gaza.

“I can reiterate the fact that Israel is ready for another humanitarian pause and additional humanitarian aid in order to enable the release of hostages. And the responsibility lies fully with [Yahya] Sinwar and the leadership of Hamas,” Herzog told the ambassadors.