room and then we see hersch's bed and, rachel, you made hersch's bed. can you tell why? >> well, i can guarantee you he never makes his bed looking as nicely as i made his bed looking and i wanted his bed to be ready for when he does come home, that he has clean sheets and, you know, just all ready to go for him to just lay down in bed and read the book that he left with the bookmark in it next to his bed. he is reading a book by the dalai lama. i think it's called "the art of happiness." i'd like him to pick up where he left off. >> wow. john, it is friday. and in jewish homes you bless your children on friday night. what is your blessing for hersh? >> well, just the standard blessing that in jewish tradition parents zbuf their child. we will continue to do that. rachel goes out on to the balcony and screams it to the skies and we will do that again in a few hours. our blessing beyond that one is, you know, rachel's mantra has been i love you, stay strong, survive, which she says throughout the day to hersh and to herself. i continue to say that i know

my trip to israel we met with the families of the hostages, like the family of hersch who was last seen loaded in a truck by hamas after losing his arm in a grenade attack. i'm on the floor today because i want to tell just a few of the stories of those hamas abducted and represent all the families of the hostages. families whose young children are being held by terrorists. their stories are moving not only because of their suffering but because of their bravery. heard about a family that hamas captured atigun point -- at gunpoint. in a moment of incredible heroism, the mother handed her toddler to her husband because he was a faster runner. he ran with bullets flying overhead so their daughter could be safe. the mother is still in captivity. the families of the hostages will not give up. their grace and bravery in the face of such horror is an inspiration. the father of etay, the father of edin, parents of omar, all three who are from the new york area and even live near each other. they didn't know one another until this terrible tragedy unfolded which now has brought them together. m

this includes a young man with ties to our state named hersch goldberg, who was injured during the terrorist attack by hamas and subsequently taken hostage. i have spoken to his family and it is a heartbreak knowing what they're going through. it included a pause in fighting to allow for desperately needed humanitarian supplies to help innocent palestinian civilians. we must remind ourselves that it is the hamas terrorism we want to eradicate. unfortunately, thousands of palestinian people are being caught in the cross fires. i hope we can build upon this deal to negotiate the release of the remaining hostages, bring an end to violence in a way that removes hamas from power, allows the rebuilding of gaza and provides real progress toward a viable two-state solution. a two-state solution will require political leadership and courage from all parties. i was really pleased to read president biden's clear thinking on this in "the washington post" recently. he wrote, this much is clear. a two-state solution is the only way to ensure the long-term security of both israel and palestinian people but