During the meeting, lawmakers emphasized their support for the released hostages and their families, and their commitment to continued efforts to return the three remaining deceased hostages from Hamas. Congresswoman Haley Stevens said, "You carry with you a burden, a story, an experience you didn't ask for. We will continue to be your allies and your friends forever – we will continue wearing the pin and telling your story." Congressman Craig Goldman said, "We were with you from the first day – we thought about you, waited for you, prayed for you every evening." He emphasized the memory of those who didn't return home and the significance of meeting with the released captives.

Congressman Brad Schneider addressed the significance of Hanukkah and the aspect of returning from captivity, saying, "Hanukkah is a holiday that brings families together. It's a holiday of light, and I know that for a hostage to come from darkness to light is huge. Your pictures were on our walls and in our hearts, and we continue wearing the yellow ribbon. We're here, both parties, and there wasn't a moment when we weren't all committed to bringing the hostages home." Schneider added, "On a dreidel, there are four letters, here they say 'a great miracle happened there' – but that you're here with us is completely 'a great miracle happened here.'"

Delegation participants thanked the public officials for their support during captivity and for their involvement in contacts to end the fighting and return all the hostages. Family members emphasized the importance of the relationship between Israel and the US and the American administration's contribution to dealing with the security situation.

Danny Miran, father of Omri Miran, noted the significance of uniting Democrats and Republicans in one room. He thanked Congress members and American Jewry for their efforts to return the hostages and mentioned the holiday's proximity as a point of light for the families.

At a press conference in Budapest on Monday with his Hungarian counterpart Péter Szijjártó, Sa'ar said the PA altered its system to avoid direct terrorist payments and now funnels the money through Palestinian postal branches. "Contrary to the Palestinian Authority's promises in English, the PA continues its policy of paying salaries to terrorists," Sa'ar said. "The PA pays salaries to terrorists and their family members for murdering Jews and Israelis according to their law from 2004 until this very day. The PA rewards Palestinian terrorists, including Hamas operatives, who have Jewish blood on their hands – both those sitting in prison and those released in the latest deal."

Sa'ar added, "The PA never stopped paying salaries to terrorists – the PA only changed its method. Terrorists now receive the money from Palestinian postal branches. The PA even makes additional payments to terrorists released under the agreement."

Sa'ar sharply criticized the European Union, saying "instead of demanding accountability from the PA, the European Union whitewashes the PA. The EU ignores the ongoing crimes of paying terrorists – and in practice encourages terror. The EU seeks to reward the PA with its own terrorist state." He noted that President Trump's 20-point plan stipulated that the PA would receive no legitimacy without genuine reforms, including "the Palestinian Authority will take all necessary steps to immediately stop paying salaries to terrorists imprisoned in Israel and to families of terrorists who were killed."

Sa'ar continued, "To this day, the Palestinian Authority has failed to meet the criteria set by President Trump. I call on responsible and moral European leaders to follow the example Hungary set in Europe. Hold the Palestinian Authority accountable! Stop salary payments to terrorists now!"

Israel has a part too

Lt. Col. (res.) Maurice Hirsch, former head of the military prosecution in Judea and Samaria and currently a researcher at the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs (JCFA), reveals a disturbing picture about the payments the Palestinian Authority provides to terrorists serving prison sentences – and about Israel's role in the financing.

According to Hirsch, 160 of the 250 terrorists released in the latest ceasefire deal became millionaires thanks to monthly payments of roughly 8,000 shekels ($2,250) over many years. "The Palestinian Authority rewards our child murderers with hundreds of millions of shekels annually, exactly as a prize for their participation in terror," Hirsch said. "The payments accumulate to millions and they leave prison for a life of prosperity – not remorse."

Hirsch emphasizes that this money comes mainly from Israel itself. "Out of every 100 shekels the PA pays terrorists, 65 come from us – from the VAT and income taxes we transfer to the PA under the Oslo Accords. We are literally funding the murder of our children," Hirsch said. "This is a dangerous moral and security distortion. A terrorist murderer knows he won't die in prison, but will exit to a good life with an inflated bank account. The time has come to cut off this money pipeline once and for all."

Special letter from Omri Miran

On the hostage issue, Sa'ar said the nation of Israel will never forget Hungary's role in the struggle to bring them home. However, he added, "The struggle has not yet ended. Hamas still holds 13 of our deceased hostages. This is a clear violation of the agreement. We know Hamas can return most of the deceased hostages easily. Hamas is delaying the return and bringing them back at a slow, calculated pace to postpone the second phase – its disarmament. Hamas behaves barbarically, abuses families who have waited for more than two years and only want to bring their sons to burial. Hamas must immediately return all those it holds."

During the meeting, Sa'ar gave Hungarian Foreign Minister Szijjártó a personal letter of thanks from former hostage Omri Miran, who also holds Hungarian citizenship. In the letter, Miran thanked the Hungarian government for its efforts to secure his release. Miran asked Foreign Minister Sa'ar to deliver the letter to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, President Tamás Sulyok, and Foreign Minister Szijjártó as recognition and gratitude for the Hungarian government's efforts toward his release.

This is the eighth meeting between Sa'ar and Szijjártó – Hungary has been very helpful to Israel in its struggle against European Union policies both toward the Palestinians and in calls for academic and commercial boycotts of Israel. Sa'ar was joined by the largest business delegation ever to travel from Israel to Hungary, with the goal of encouraging trade and economic relations between the countries.