Matan Angrest (dressed in black) facing the Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir.
By agency report
Matan Angrest, former hostage, who was released from Hamas captivity, asked IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir to allow him to return to operational activity straight away.
The Hamas captivity survivor was released in a deal with the Hamas terror group, but immediately asked IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir to reinstate him as an active-duty soldier in the IDF.
The request was made during a meeting held at Ichilov Hospital, when Zamir visited the soldiers who were returned in the deal.
Zamir arrived at the hospital, where he met soldiers Nimrod Cohen and Matan Angrest.
Both of them were kidnapped during the Oct. 7 massacre and returned to Israel after two years in Hamas captivity.
According to a report in Yedioth Ahronoth, Angrest told the Chief of Staff that he wanted to return to IDF service.
“Zamir looked him up and down with a smile. ‘If that’s the case,’ he said, ‘you’re going back to training.’
‘No,’ Angrest replied. ‘I want to return to operational activity.'”
The Chief of Staff then gave Matan back his Armored Corps beret and embraced him.
“I’m so happy to see you here, this is unbelievable.
“Don’t rush, you need to process what you’ve been through,” Zamir said, according to the report.
“Throughout this journey, you’ve been on my mind, and your safety was a central consideration.
“We won’t rest until we bring all the deceased hostages back to Israel,” he promised.
