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As we honor those who have returned, we remember those who will never come home, and reaffirm our commitment to bringing every single hostage and detainee back to their families. The United States will never stop working to end this practice and secure their freedom.
This past week, we hosted a flag raising ceremony at the State Department in honor of this important occasion. Senior Advisor Adam Boehler and FBI Director Kash Patel underscored the importance of this mission and the lives behind the cause. We proudly raised the Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Flag — a powerful reminder of Americans in captivity — and the suffering by their families and loved ones.
President Trump’s strong leadership and coordination with partners has already led to great progress. In February, we welcomed the release of an American unjustly detained in Belarus and two political prisoners. I want to particularly thank the Lithuanian government for its cooperation and assistance and my team in Consular Affairs, the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, and the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs for all the hard work that went into securing these releases. We remain committed to the release of other U.S. citizens in Belarus and elsewhere.
 After nearly 500 days of horrific captivity, Sagui Dekel Chen and two other hostages were released. While I am grateful that they are back home and safe with their families, we must remember all those who are not. Though 38 hostages have been freed through President Trump’s efforts in the Phase I ceasefire in Gaza, many more still remain, facing unspeakable horrors. It is critical that the ceasefire implementation continues and that all of the hostages are freed from Hamas captivity and safely returned to their loved ones.
President Trump also kept his promise to the Fogel family — after three and a half years of detention in Russia, Marc Fogel is finally home.
These releases are a testament to our unwavering commitment, and as the Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Flag flies today we know that our work is not over.
To all Americans who remain unjustly held around the world: know that we are tirelessly working day and night to bring you home.
Sincerely,
 Secretary Marco Rubio
Note to Readers
This email – “From the Secretary's Desk” – features my remarks and speeches on important current events.
Find all my speeches, remarks, and other press statements on state.gov.
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