Tears of joy and relief for their loved ones. Seventeen hostages, held in the Gaza Strip since the Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel on October 7, were released late Saturday, November 25, in the evening. Their release was delayed for several hours, with the Islamist movement accusing the Jewish state of not respecting the terms of the agreement concluded on Wednesday under the aegis of Qatar in particular. In exchange, 39 Palestinian prisoners were released.
In detail, there are thirteen Israeli hostages and four Thai people who found their freedom. As on Friday, Hamas handed them over to humanitarian workers from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) who took the former captives out of the Gaza Strip. Arriving in Egypt through the Rafah terminal, they were then transferred to Israel. Franceinfo reveals the identities and stories of these ex-hostages.
A 9-year-old Israeli-Irish girl whom her father once thought was dead
Emily, a 9-year-old Israeli-Irish girl, is one of the released hostages, announced Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, referring to “a day of immense joy and relief”. The girl’s father, Thomas Hand, had given CNN on October 12 an interview in which he announced the death of his child. With tears in his eyes, he then recounted his first reaction to the news of the death of his daughter, who was at a friend’s mother’s house on October 7, when the terrorists attacked.
“I said yes !’ It’s the best thing that could happen to her… It’s a blessing that she doesn’t suffer in their hands.”, he explained then. But in early November, Israeli authorities finally told him that there was a good chance that Emily was still alive and captive. To the BBC, he then expressed his regrets for having reacted as he had done, assuring that his words could perhaps have endangered the young girl.
Father and daughter were finally reunited Saturday evening. “We cannot find the words to describe our emotions after 50 difficult and complicated days”rejoiced Thomas Hand in a press release. “We are delighted to have Emily back, but at the same time we remember… all the hostages who have not yet returned home.”
The first hug! Here’s the moment Emily Hand ran into the arms of her father.
And right after, Hila Rotem Shoshani ran into the arms of her uncle. Her mother is still being held hostage in Gaza. pic.twitter.com/c0sSvqaoNc
— Aviva Klompas (@AvivaKlompas) November 26, 2023
A 13-year-old girl returned home without her mother, still hostage
Hila Rotem Shoshani, 13, is Emily’s friend. They were together on October 7, in Hila’s house in Be’eri, when Hamas terrorists appeared in the kibbutz. Hila’s mother, Raaya Rotem, aged 54, is she still a hostage in Gaza, reports the Israeli daily Haaretz. For those close to the family, it is incomprehensible to see mother and daughter separated in this way. “Rumors say that Hila will be released, but not Raaya and that she will be released later. I don’t understand how this can be possible”had confided, a few hours before the release of these hostages, a close friend to Haaretz.
A 52-year-old woman and her 12-year-old daughter
Sharon Avigdori, 52, and Noam, her 12-year-old daughter, are also among the released hostages. They too had been kidnapped in the kibbutz of Be’eri, located four kilometers from the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip. Sharon’s husband and father of Noam stayed with his son Omer in their house in Hod Hasharon, in the center of the country, says Haaretz.
Mother and daughter, Sharon and Noam Avigdori, are reunited with father and son, Hen and Omer.
Seeing broken families put back together like this is what this country needs more than anything. pic.twitter.com/8kA7aYzkb6
— Yoni Leviatan (@songsofyoni) November 26, 2023
An elderly woman, her daughter and two granddaughters
Almost an entire family found its way to freedom. Shoshan Haran, 67, whose husband was killed in the October 7 massacre, was released on Saturday. With a doctorate in agriculture from the Hebrew University, she created an organization helping African farmers, says Haaretz. Also with her, her 38-year-old daughter, Adi Shohan and her two granddaughters, Yahel, 3, and Nave, 8. Adi Shohan’s husband, also captured, was not released. They were also in the kibbutz of Be’eri. Their ancestors were among the founders of the place.
The Hebrew University celebrates the safe return of Dr. Shoshan Haran after enduring a harrowing 50 days in captivity under the Hamas in Gaza. Dr. Haran, an esteemed alumna of @HUJIAgri in Rehovot, is renowned as the founder of the FairPlanet organization, dedicated to providing… pic.twitter.com/QS4iEZKrzP
— Hebrew University (@HebrewU) November 26, 2023
A 17-year-old boy and his 13-year-old sister
Two other teenagers were released by Hamas on Saturday evening. Noam Or, aged 17, and his sister, Alma, 13, also from the kibbutz of Be’eri, had been kidnapped with their father, Dror. Their mother, Yonat, was killed on October 7, reports Haaretz. Their father therefore remains hostage in the Gaza Strip. Their house was burned down during the terrorist attack.
Noam (17 years old) and Alma (13 years old) Or are among the thirteen Israeli hostages released this evening. Their father is still detained in Gaza. Their mother was murdered on October 7. pic.twitter.com/9ubn6AX9bu
— i24NEWS French (@i24NEWS_FR) November 25, 2023
A 53-year-old woman and her 18-year-old daughter
They also come from Be’eri, where they were taken hostage by Hamas. Shiri Weiss, 53, an accountant by profession, and her 18-year-old daughter, Noga, were able to return to Israel on Saturday evening. Father and husband, Ilan, still missing, reports Hareetz. Noga also has two other sisters, Meital and Ma’ayan, who live in another part of the kibbutz, and who were not injured.
A young woman returned without her brother, still hostage
Among the hostages returned to Israel, there is also Maya Regev, 21, kidnapped with her 18-year-old brother while they tried to flee the Tribe of Nova music festival attacked by Hamas fighters on October 7 at dawn. A video posted on social media showed the young woman and her brother tied up in the back of a pick-up. “I am very happy that Maya is about to join us. However, I am heartbroken because my son Itay is still a prisoner of Hamas in Gaza”said his mother, Mirit, in a statement published by the Hostage Families Forum.
Maya is the first music festival hostage to be freed. In images published by Hamas, we see her walking on crutches, her foot in a large bandage. She was hospitalized upon her arrival in Israel, specifies Hareetz. On Sunday morning, the director of the hospital where she is staying explained that she would have to undergo an operation soon, but that he expected “complete recovery”.