Yuval Raphael told Israeli media that there won't be a real victory without the return of the hostages, following placing second at Eurovision 2025 on Saturday.
"I'm so sorry, I don't know how to respond to the situation, I feel like we've won life," she told KAN 11.
“I can’t explain to you the level of my excitement. The entire song was dedicated to the people, to Israel, to my friends, to those in my heart, to those who are no longer with us today, to the hostages who are still there.”
Raphael said that she felt like she was on top of the world, but that there was no victory until the hostages were home.
"I'm grateful for the situation and our people every day of my life, to everyone who voted and gave me the feeling of victory. I've never felt like a winner like this. Today, I felt proud; all I wanted was to bring honor and pride to the country and give a second of peace. We won't have a real victory until our hostages are home, Amen, Amen, Amen."
'Am Israel Chai, and a new day really will rise for us'
The 24-year-old Nova festival survivor added that she thought that the song's message of hope translated to audiences better than she expected.
“Honestly, I wasn’t focused on the fact that it was being broadcast to millions, as much as I focused on the fact that there was a message being delivered to so many people—and that’s what I concentrated on,” Raphael said. “I didn’t focus on the number of viewers, but on the fact that I had something to say, and I wanted to scream it out loud.”
“Am Israel Chai, and a new day really will rise for us. It always will, no matter what happens. That’s what defines our people more than anything—no matter what we go through, we come back to life again and again."
יובל רפאל בריאיון אחרי שסיימה במקום השני: "לא היה ולא יהיה לנו ניצחון אמיתי כמו כשהחטופים יהיו בבית" | צפו @AmitHarari2 pic.twitter.com/4HC19jW0fr
— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) May 17, 2025
“I have no way to describe the situation," she added. " I feel like the message got across more than I expected. I just want to hug everyone. I... this situation is out of this world. I love you all with all my heart."
She told KAN 11 that said that she was looking forward to seeing her loved ones and returning home to Israel.
"I can’t wait to get on a plane and step onto Israeli soil. I so badly wanted to hug my friends whom I saw from across the hall. I really just want to hug my friends—wow," she said.
Raphael noted that having family members of slain Nova festival victims alongside her friends in the audience gave her strength.
“I’m going to run to my friends, to hug them for giving me so much strength. I can’t even describe how much strength it gave me to know they were in the audience—and also Hila Abir, the sister of Lotan Abir z”l, who was murdered in the bomb shelter and whom I never got to meet.
"A huge thank you to everyone who supported me, to everyone who gave me the privilege to be in this position and trusted me to be their voice.”