(Jerusalem) They all hope to hug their loved ones very quickly, but still don’t dare believe it. Families of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners hesitated Wednesday between anguish and hope, after the agreement signed on an exchange between Israel and Hamas.
Under the terms of the agreement, the Palestinian Islamist movement will initially release “50 women and children under 19” kidnapped during the October 7 attack in southern Israel, of incomparable violence in the history of the country.
They will be released in exchange for the release of 150 Palestinian prisoners, also women and young people under the age of 19, in addition to a four-day humanitarian break.
Israel published a list of names of prisoners, but Hamas did not communicate on the hostages. But the emotion of the families was just as strong on both camps.
“We are very happy that a partial release is underway,” said the Families Forum, the main association of relatives of hostages. But “for the moment, we do not know exactly who will be released and when.”
Among the approximately 240 hostages held in Gaza, there are at least 35 children, including 18 aged 10 and under, according to an AFP count, and more than 50 women.
“Hamas will publish every evening the names of those who will be released the next day,” believes Gilad Korngold, who has seven members of his family detained, including his grandson Naveh, eight years old, and his granddaughter Yahel, three years old.
“Torn apart”
“All we know is that we have to stay at home,” he whispers to AFP, his voice tight. “Until I see them with my own eyes, I won’t believe what anyone tells me.”
Shemi Calderon, whose nephew Ofer is hostage, confirms a hellish in-between. “We are happy that there is an agreement. But they’re not there until they’re actually there.” He adds: “Let’s hope this madness stops as quickly as possible for everyone.”
In Tel Aviv, where relatives of the hostages have been demonstrating for more than six weeks, many mix relief and dejection. Everyone demanded an agreement on all the hostages.
“We are happy for those who will be released, but we are still thinking of all those who will remain behind,” summarized Marva Tovia, a 42-year-old teacher. “I feel torn.”
The hostages were taken to Gaza when Hamas commandos from the Palestinian territory launched an attack on Israeli territory on October 7, killing 1,200 people, most of them civilians.
Since then, Israel has relentlessly bombarded the Gaza Strip, and more than 14,100 people have been killed in the coastal territory, according to the Hamas government.
Among the Palestinian prisoners appearing on the list, none have “blood on their hands,” according to Israeli authorities. If there are 300 names, the provisions currently only concern 150 detainees in theory.
Emotional elevator
Their families are also experiencing the emotional upheaval.
“I cry, I laugh, I tremble,” Samira Douayyat, a Palestinian from East Jerusalem, the part of the city occupied by Israel since 1967, told AFP. Her daughter Shourouk, 26, who will have served half of his 16-year prison sentence, could be released. “This year, I kept imagining him walking through the front door.”
On the list of Palestinian prisoners eligible for release are 33 women, 123 boys under the age of 18 and 144 young men aged around 18 from the occupied West Bank or East Jerusalem.
Some have been convicted, but most are awaiting trial on charges ranging from inciting stone throwing to attempted murder, according to Jessica Montell, director of the Israeli human rights group Hamoked.
There are also women and minors in administrative detention. “These people should have already been released unconditionally, so this agreement […] is really welcome.”
Israa Jaabis, 38, is the best-known prisoner on the list. She was sentenced to eleven years in prison for detonating a gas canister in her car at a roadblock in 2015, injuring a police officer.
After 47 days of war in Gaza, his sister Mouna is divided. “We are trying to accept the idea that all these detainees will be released after thousands of people have been killed, but it is difficult and our joy is mixed with the bloodshed.”