Omer Shem Tov, an Israeli hostage who spent 505 days in Hamas captivity before his release on February 22, took the stage at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest to recount his ordeal. He expressed gratitude for President Trump’s foreign policy leadership and support for Israel, while reaffirming his faith in God.
"This fight is between good and evil. A fight against terrorists will turn hospitals into torture chambers, schools into military bases," he said. "Who starve their own people. Who murder young people at a music festival. Who kill Jews because they are Jewish, and Christians because they are Christian. This evil is spreading."
"Thank you, President Donald Trump, for our freedom," Shem Tov said as the crowd began to chant "USA." "He fought for us. He brought us home."
Tov then began to recount how his belief in God brought him through his ordeal.
"Alone in the darkness, I began to pray," he said. "Every day, I spoke to Him. I whispered, ‘God, how are You? How was your day? Are you okay?" he said. "And in that darkness, I felt His presence. I thanked Him for everything. I thanked Him for everything. For the food, even when there was almost none. For the water, even when it was salty. For my life, even though it was in danger every single day."
He went on to describe the threat of radical Islamic terrorists, and why existential threats to the United States and the West require the work of groups like TPUSA.
"We have seen these same radical terrorists commit violence in Israel, in Europe, in Australia, and even here in the United States, including the recent attack in Washington, D.C., where two National Guardsmen were shot. This is the evil we are fighting. This is not a distant conflict," he said. "And that is why Turning Point USA matters. Because you see the truth. And you stand for freedom."
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"I always knew that Trump was a big supporter of Israel. And for us as Israelis, you know, we … love Trump," he said. "He supports us, he's he's a great man, I think. I also met him nine days after I was released, like I've said, and and I can truly say that he's he's an amazing person. He really, really cared about us."
"I personally told him that me and my family, and I would say all of Israel, believe that he was sent by God to release those hostages and to help Israel," Shem Tov recounted. "And he made that promise. He made that promise, he said that he will bring back all the hostages."
If you do nothing else today, please watch this speech from former hostage Omer Shem Tov.
— AG (@AGHamilton29) December 19, 2025
He talks about how he found his faith in the Gaza tunnels, how things changed when Trump was elected, and the need to fight evil and defend freedom everywhere. pic.twitter.com/sUNK1Af8fl
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