BBCFive Thai farm workers who were abducted during the 7 October attacks by Hamas on Israel have been released after being held for almost 500 days in Gaza.
They were handed over to the Red Cross during chaotic scenes along with two Israelis, shortly after a first Israeli hostage was freed.
Pongsak Thaenna, Sathian Suwannakham, Watchara Sriaoun, Bannawat Saethao and Surasak Lamnao had all been working in southern Israel when they were kidnapped during the attacks in October 2023.
Thailand’s prime minister said she was elated to hear news of their release and her government was working with Israel “so that they can reunite with their families soonest”. One Thai hostage remains unaccounted for.
“The Thai government, including everyone here in Thailand, have long been waiting for this very moment,” PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra posted on social media.
“I hold on to my hope that the remaining Thai national will be released and returned to us safely and speedily.”
For the families of the released hostages, it was a day they had long been waiting for.
Wilas Thaenna wept after receiving a call to say his son Pongsak had been freed on Thursday.
“I never thought this day would come, everything has been too quiet for a while,” the 65-year-old told the BBC.
He revealed he had barely slept the night before, as he was so excited at the prospect of his son being released.
“I don’t know how to explain how I got through all that happened,” he continued.
“My son was taken captive, I lost my wife, I had to stay strong.
“First five or six months, I’ve lost so much weight. It was distressing, I didn’t have strength to do anything or go anywhere. I was worried all the time.
“When I see him, I’m going to give him a hug and tell him to come home.”
ReutersWiwwaew Sriaoun also sobbed as it was confirmed her son Watchara had been released.
“The first thing I want to do is to hug my son and tell him I miss him very much,” she said. “His daughter, Nudee, was also happy. She has been praying every day for her daddy to return.”
She said all of Watchara’s relatives have come to her home in Udon Thani province to closely monitor the news.
“I’ve had hopes but I also lost hopes several times already,” she said, adding she received a call on Wednesday night but wasn’t sure if her son would still be alive. She too was unable to sleep, revealing to AFP news agency she and her husband had gone rubber tapping on their farm in the early hours of the morning.
Sirinna Suwannakham, the younger sister of freed hostage Sathian, said her family had only managed to keep the hope alive because they had no proof he had been killed.
“If he had died, we would have had a body to hold a ceremony,” she said. “But there was none. So we never lost hope. We always believed that my brother was still alive. We never gave up. We always waited for him to come home.”
Royal Thai Embassy in Tel AvivThe released hostages will now be taken to hospital in Israel, after being met by Thai government officials.
Thirty-one Thai workers were taken hostage in the October 2023 attacks, the Thai government has said previously. Another 39 were killed on the day.
The majority were released in November 2023, leaving just eight in Gaza, according to officials. It is believed two have since died, while the fate of the final hostage – Nattapong Pinta – is not known.
Nearly all of the foreign workers abducted during the attack were Thais. Israel employs some 30,000 of them as farm labour, making them one of the largest migrant groups in the country.
The release is part of a separate agreement between Hamas and the Thai government – it’s not part of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal agreed on 19 January.
In a surprising turn of events, Hamas has released five individuals who were held in Gaza. The reasons for their detainment and subsequent release have not been disclosed by the militant group.
This move comes amidst escalating tensions in the region, with Hamas facing increased pressure from both internal and external sources. The release of these individuals may be seen as a gesture of goodwill or an attempt to ease tensions within the community.
The identities of the five individuals have not been revealed, but their families and loved ones are undoubtedly relieved to have them back home. It remains to be seen whether this release will have any impact on the overall situation in Gaza.
As the situation continues to evolve, it is crucial for all parties involved to work towards a peaceful resolution and ensure the safety and well-being of the people of Gaza. Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story.
Tags:
#held #Gaza #released #Hamas
Jan 30, 2025 04:59 PM IST
Hamas-led militants freed two of eight hostages on Thursday in the latest release since a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip took hold earlier this month. Israel was expected to release another 110 Palestinian prisoners.
Hamas handed female Israeli soldier Agam Berger, 20, to the Red Cross after parading her in front of a crowd in the heavily destroyed urban refugee camp of Jabaliya in northern Gaza. The Israeli government later confirmed that Berger was with its forces.
The other Israel who was released on Thursday is Arbel Yehoud, 29. Five Thai nationals were also expected to be freed, but have not been officially identified.
Footage shows hostage Arbel Yehoud being transferred to the Red Cross by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, reported The Times of Israel.
The video captures Yehoud being escorted through a dense crowd of Palestinians and armed militants near the ruins of former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar’s residence.
She appears visibly shaken as she and the gunmen struggle through the chaotic scene, pushing through the crowd to reach the waiting Red Cross vehicle.
Recommended Topics
Recently, a video has surfaced showing the moment when Israeli hostage Arbel Yehoud was handed over to the Red Cross by Hamas. The video depicts a visibly frightened Yehoud being escorted by Hamas members to the Red Cross representatives, who were waiting to receive him.
Yehoud, who had been held captive by Hamas for several weeks, appeared to be in a state of distress as he was handed over to the Red Cross. The video has sparked outrage and concern for his well-being, with many calling for his immediate release and safe return to Israel.
The Israeli government has condemned Hamas for their actions and has called for Yehoud to be released unharmed. The Red Cross has stated that they will provide Yehoud with the necessary medical and psychological support to ensure his well-being.
As the situation continues to unfold, the world watches anxiously for updates on Yehoud’s condition and hopes for a swift and safe resolution to this troubling ordeal.
Tags:
#Video #shows #frightened #Israeli #hostage #Arbel #Yehoud #handed #Red #Cross #Hamas #World #News
The Israeli army says the Red Cross has confirmed that it has seven hostages – two Israelis and five Thai nationals.
More details soon …
Key events
Emma Graham-Harrison
Reporting from Tel Aviv:
US president Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, has just visited Hostage Square as the crowd waited for confirmation that Gadi Moses had been handed to the Red Cross.
Several, when they realised who was there, raced to pay personal tribute to Witkoff. “Thank you for freeing the hostages, thank you to Mr Trump,” one shouted.
Witkoff went for a meeting in a public library beyond, where the families of hostages have a room they use for meetings – but there is no confirmation he met any of them.
He had earlier met the four female soldiers freed on Saturday. He’s now left in a convoy.
The Israeli army says the Red Cross has confirmed that it has seven hostages – two Israelis and five Thai nationals.
More details soon …
Zakaria Zubeidi, a former leader of a Palestinian militant group jailed for attacks that killed several Israelis, will be released on Thursday as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Zubeidi, 49, rose to prominence during the second intifada, a Palestinian uprising in the early 2000s, becoming one of the most well-known militant leaders in Jenin and its refugee camp in the occupied West Bank.
It was during the uprising that Zubeidi’s mother was shot and killed when the Israeli army raided the camp, reports AFP.
He is known by Israeli security services as the man behind several deadly, high-profile attacks against Israelis.
The Israeli army has released pictures of Agam Berger being reunited with her parents:
Freed Israeli soldier, Agam Berger, is on her way to hospital, said Israel’s military, where she will undergo a medical assessment.
“The returning hostage, IDF soldier Agam Berger, together with her parents, just took off aboard an Israeli air force helicopter to make her way to the hospital where she will receive medical treatment,” the military said in a statement.
Here is a video of Berger being released earlier:
Israel’s Channel 12 are also saying that the third Israeli hostage expected to be released today, Gadi Moses, has been handed over to the Red Cross.
More details soon …
Israeli hostage Arbel Yehud has been handed over to the Red Cross, Israel’s Channel 12 said, as footage showed her surrounded by a surging crowd and armed Palestinian militants in a chaotic scene in southern Gaza on Thursday.
Peter Beaumont
International staff working for the UN’s main agency serving Palestinians have been forced to leave Israel, after its ban on the agency came into effect.
As the UN flag was still flying above the headquarters building in Jerusalem, Palestinian staff were not present at the site over security concerns amid a planned “celebration” by Israeli rightwing groups outside the compound.
While Unrwa said on Thursday that it would continue working in Gaza and the West Bank for as long as possible, it added it had received no communications from Israel on how the ban would be implemented – most crucially over the delivery of aid to Gaza.
The Israeli ban went ahead on Thursday after the country’s supreme court rejected a petition by Palestinian human rights group Adalah contesting the new law prohibiting Unrwa.
The court did note that the legislation “prohibits Unrwa activity only on the sovereign territory of the state of Israel”, but did not prohibit such activity in Gaza and the West Bank.
The ban does apply, however, to Israeli-annexed East Jerusalem, where Unrwa has a field headquarters for its operations in the West Bank.
About 25 international staff left Israel on Wednesday after Israel had refused to issue visas or extend existing ones. International staff make up about 2% of the agency’s workforce.
“The headquarters is still there, and flag is still up,” said Juliette Touma, an Unrwa spokesperson.
“It’s a UN compound which means it must be protected. We don’t have plans to close our operations,” she said, adding that their work in the West Bank and Gaza was continuing.
“But we are in the dark. We have not received any instructions from Israel how the ban will be enforced beyond being told to vacate.”
Sam Jones
In a statement on Thursday morning, the Spanish foreign ministry called for Israel to drop its ban on Unrwa, saying the move risked endangering both lives and the ceasefire.
“The government rejects the entry into force of the Knesset laws that prevent Unrwa operations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and calls for their application to be suspended,” it said.
It added:
Spain expresses its deepest concern about the impact that this decision will have on the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territories, jeopardising the ceasefire that began on January 19.
Unrwa is essential and irreplaceable for the lives of the 6 million refugees to whom it provides essential services, and for regional stability, and Spain firmly supports its work.”
Spain’s socialist-led government has been one of the most outspoken European critics of Israel’s actions in Gaza.
In November 2023, the Israeli government recalled its ambassador in Madrid and said it would be reprimanding Spain’s top diplomat in Tel Aviv after the prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, said he had “genuine doubts” about whether Israel was complying with international humanitarian law in its offensive in Gaza.
At the end of May last year, Spain joined Ireland and Norway in officially recognising a Palestinian state.
If you missed it earlier, we posted on the who else is expected to be released by Hamas and Israel today. There are two other Israelis expected to be freed on Thursday: Arbel Yehoud, 29, and Gadi Moses, an 80-year-old man. There has been no official confirmation yet of the identities of the Thai nationals who will be released by Hamas.
Among the people expected to be released from prisons in Israel, is Zakaria Zubeidi – a prominent former militant leader and theater director who took part in a dramatic jailbreak in 2021 before being rearrested days later.
You can read more here.
The Israeli army said it intercepted a reconnaissance drone on Thursday launched by Lebanon’s Hezbollah towards Israel, reports Reuters.
No other information has been given but we will update if further details come through.
Rebecca Ratcliffe
At Wiwwaeo Sriaoun’s home in Udon Thani, north-east Thailand, everyone is anxiously following the news on their phones. Wiwwaeo’s son Watchara, 33, was one of dozens of Thai migrant workers kidnapped from the farms on which they were working in southern Israel on 7 October 2023.
Five of the six Thais still being held hostage are due to be released on Thursday. However their names are yet to be confirmed.
“I’m with [Watchara’s] aunt and other relatives, including my grandchild. All of us are just waiting for good news and praying that Watchara and his friends will come back,” said Wiwwaeo.
She was told by the Royal Thai embassy in Israel that she will get a call when names of the Thai hostages to be released are confirmed. “I’m hoping that one of them will be my son,” she said.
Watchara’s daughter, Irada, who is nine, had just arrived home from school, she said. She was hoping for good news. Neighbours had sent messages of support.
Watchara moved to work in Israel three years ago with his younger brother, hoping to save up money and pay off the family’s debts. Israel has been a common destination for Thai migrant workers as the salaries there are much higher than those offered back home. Most work in farming jobs.
Since the 7 October attacks, the Israeli government said they made up the largest single group of foreign dead and missing. In 2023, 23 Thais were released following diplomatic efforts that involved neighbouring Malaysia – which has ties with Hamas, having hosted its leaders in the past – as well as Qatar, Israel, Egypt, Iran and the International Committee of the Red Cross. In total, 46 Thais have been killed.
Emma Graham-Harrison
Reporting from Tel Aviv:
A crowd gathered from early morning in Tel Aviv’s Hostage Square, many carrying placards with the faces of the three Israelis due for release on Thursday.
They cheered as live footage from Gaza showed soldier Agam Berger, 19, the first to be handed over, alive and walking independently, surrounded by Hamas fighters.
“She made it,” said Yahel Oren, 31, watching the large screen in tears. “Its hard to think of her alone there, but at least we can count the minutes she has left.”
Oren served a decade ago at the Nahal Oz base where Berger was captured. Part of a group campaigning for the freedom of the female ‘spotter’ troops held in Gaza, she was wearing a T-shirt saying “once a spotter always a spotter”.
There were cheers again after Berger, the last female soldier held in Gaza, was handed to the Red Cross in the north of the strip.
Two civilian hostages, Arbel Yehoud 29, and Gadi Moses, 80, were expected to be released later in the morning in southern Gaza.
By late morning the crowd was hundreds strong, with schoolchildren and parents pushing babies, beside veterans of the long campaign to “bring them home”. Some had taken the day off, to join the crowd for a rare moment of joy after more than a year of anguish.
One waved a Thai flag, for five Thai nationals also due for release on Thursday. They have not yet been named.
Ruth Michaelson
Ruth Michaelson and Obaida Hamad in Suwayda:
Suwayda is well equipped for protests. The central square of the city, home to one of Syria’s larger minority communities, hosts the crowds of weekly – or sometimes even daily – demonstrators calling for the representation and public services they have demanded for years.
Long before the fall last month of the regime of Bashar al-Assad, the southern province of the same name had become a byword for resistance to rule by Damascus, unafraid to protest despite Assad’s crackdown on dissent and his hollow pledges to protect communities like theirs.
The area is overwhelmingly filled with members of the Druze sect, who follow an esoteric form of Islam whose adherents span a swath of Lebanon and Syria, including the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Even before Assad fled last month as an insurgency reached Damascus, residents of Suwayda had been demanding a secular state that enshrined minority rights, and are now emphatically insisting their voices be heard in the new Syria.
“Since last August until now we’ve been protesting daily,” said Alia Kuntar, a lawyer, after the weekly demonstration held in Suwayda City’s central square in front of a metal pavilion emblazoned with the words “Peace to all Syrians”. “And we will keep protesting until we get the state we want. We haven’t felt any crackdown from the new government, but equally we didn’t see any action on the ground in response to our demands.”
She added: “Of course, we’ll increase our demonstrations until we get what we want.”
Protests in Suwayda began in August 2023 for increased public services and quickly spilled into demands for Assad to go, in a place that his regime had long ignored. The southern province was a rare pocket of resistance for well over a year before his rule collapsed amid a wider insurgency at the end of 2024. It now presents a challenge for Syria’s caretaker government, which is led by the Islamists who toppled Assad.
The other two Israelis expected to be released today are Arbel Yehoud, 29, and Gadi Moses, an 80-year-old man. There has been no official confirmation of the identities of the Thai nationals who will be released, reports the Associated Press (AP).
Israel said Yehoud was supposed to have been freed Saturday and delayed the opening of crossings to northern Gaza when she was not.
A number of foreign workers were taken captive along with dozens of Israeli civilians and soldiers during Hamas’s 7 0ctober 2023 attack. Twenty-three Thais were among more than 100 hostages released during a weeklong ceasefire in November 2023. Israel says eight Thais remain in captivity, two of whom are believed to be dead.
According to the AP, of the people expected to be released from prisons in Israel, 30 are serving life sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks against Israelis. Zakaria Zubeidi, a prominent former militant leader and theater director who took part in a dramatic jailbreak in 2021 before being rearrested days later, is also among those to be released.
The United States, Egypt and Qatar, which brokered the ceasefire after a year of tough negotiations, resolved the dispute with an agreement that Yehoud would be released on Thursday. Another three hostages, all men, are expected to be freed on Saturday along with dozens more Palestinian prisoners.
In a recent development, two Israeli and five Thai hostages were handed over to the Red Cross by Hamas, according to the Israel military. This exchange comes after intense negotiations between the two parties, with hopes for a peaceful resolution to the situation.
The hostages, who have been held captive for an extended period of time, are now in the care of the Red Cross and will soon be reunited with their families. The Israeli military has expressed gratitude for the successful handover and is hopeful that this gesture will lead to further progress in achieving peace in the region.
Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story as it unfolds. #Israel #Hamas #RedCross #Hostages #PeacefulResolution
Tags:
Hamas hostages, Red Cross, Israeli hostages, Thai hostages, Israel military, international news, hostage situation, Middle East conflict, Red Cross rescue, live updates
#Israeli #Thai #hostages #handed #Red #Cross #Hamas #Israel #military #live #Israel
Tel Aviv — A female Israeli hostage, Agam Berger, 20, was released in Gaza early Thursday as the next hostages-for-prisoners swap agreed to by Israel and Hamas got underway. Two more Israelis, including an 80-year-old man, and five Thai hostages were expected to be released later in the day.
Berger was released amid the ruins of the Jabalia Refugee Camp in northern Gaza. She was the final hostage from an all-female unarmed Israeli military unit that had been working to surveil Gaza.
Seven women from the unit were taken hostage during Hamas’ Oct. 7 2023 attack on Israel, which saw militants kill about 1,200 people and take a total of 251 others hostage.
BASHAR TALEB/AFP/Getty
Israel’s military response to the attack has killed more than 47,300 people, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, and decimated the Palestinian territory, displacing virtually all of its population and causing a wide scale humanitarian crisis.
Israel is expected to free 110 Palestinian prisoners as part of the exchange on Thursday.
Berger was escorted by militants out of the back of a destroyed building in Jabalia. Wearing an outfit that resembled green military fatigues, she was handed over to members of the Red Cross.
Two other Israeli hostages, Arbel Yehoud, 29, and Gadi Moses, 80, were expected to be transferred to the Red Cross later in the day in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis. Yehoud and Moses have been held by the militant group Islamic Jihad, which is allied with Hamas.
A huge crowd gathered Thursday in Khan Younis to witness the handover, expected to take place near the home of deceased Hamas commander Yahya Sinwar. Dozens of armed militants from Hamas and Islamic Jihad paraded through the area.
According to the terms of the ceasefire deal, Yehoud should have been among the four women released during the second exchange on Jan. 24. After that release last weekend, the terms of the agreement stipulated that Israel would release a number of Palestinian prisoners from jails and allow Palestinians to return to their homes in northern Gaza, across the Netzarim Corridor, which divides the north and south of the enclave.
When Yehoud wasn’t among those released last weekend, Israel said it would not allow Palestinians to cross the Netzarim Corridor. After a quick negotiation process, Hamas agreed to carry out Thursday’s previously unscheduled hostage release, to include Yehoud.
In anticipation of the release and according to the new agreement, Israel started allowing Palestinians to cross the Netzarim Corridor into northern Gaza on Monday.
Tens of thousands of people have made their way back to the north , most of them on foot, some finding the ruins of their homes and the remains of loved ones, but also reuniting with family members they haven’t been able to see in months.
Israel has not confirmed the identities of the Thai nationals expected to be released on Thursday. A number of Thai citizens who had been agricultural workers in Israel were taken hostage in Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack.
Hamas and its allies are expected to release a total of 33 Israeli hostages during the first six-week phase of the ceasefire, which took effect on Jan. 19. It is hoped that negotiations on the far more difficult second phase of the ceasefire plan will start to yield progress soon.
Berger’s release left 88 hostages — both living and dead — still in Gaza, according to Israeli officials, including seven dual U.S. nationals: Keith Siegel, 65, from Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Sagui Dekel-Chen, 35, who grew up in Bloomfield, Connecticut; and Edan Alexander, 19, from Tenafly, New Jersey. Four other Americans are believed to have been killed. It remains unclear when any of the Americans might be released.
In a historic move, an Israeli hostage has been released as the latest prisoner exchange with Hamas begins amid a ceasefire in Gaza. The release comes as part of ongoing efforts to broker peace and improve relations between Israel and the Palestinian militant group.
The Israeli hostage, who has been held captive by Hamas for several years, was freed in exchange for a number of Palestinian prisoners being released by Israel. This prisoner exchange is seen as a positive step towards building trust and fostering dialogue between the two sides.
The ceasefire in Gaza, which has been in place for several weeks now, has allowed for negotiations to take place and for humanitarian aid to reach those in need. It is hoped that this latest prisoner exchange will further solidify the ceasefire and pave the way for more peaceful interactions between Israel and Hamas.
As the world watches this development with cautious optimism, it is clear that there is still much work to be done in order to achieve lasting peace in the region. However, this prisoner exchange serves as a glimmer of hope and a reminder that progress is possible when both sides are willing to engage in dialogue and compromise.
Tags:
#Israeli #hostage #released #latest #prisoner #exchange #Hamas #begins #Gaza #ceasefire
The video was gut-wrenching: a mother, terrified and confused, cradling her two young red-headed children as armed militants surround them.
It was the moment they were kidnapped. By the time it was released, Shiri Bibas and her sons were already in Gaza.
It’s been estimated more than 250 hostages were taken as part of Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. The Bibas family is among the most high-profile.
They’re due to be released as part of the delicate and complex multi-phase ceasefire deal signed this month.
Whether they’re alive depends on who you talk to. If they’re not, it’s likely to unleash unbridled fury and sadness in Israel, where the family has become a symbol of the country’s darkest day.
“This is an ongoing nightmare,” Yifat Zailer, Shiri’s cousin, told the ABC.
“Until now, until today, no organisation, not the Red Cross, not UNICEF, not the Israeli intelligence, can tell us what their situation is.”
The Bibas family has become a symbol of Israel’s darkest day. (Supplied: Nizzan Cohen)
Images of baby Kfir Bibas, who was just eight months old when he was abducted, and his brother Ariel, who was four, adorn murals and posters around the country.
They were the youngest hostages taken and the video made headlines around the world.
The children are believed to have been held with their mother, while their father, Yarden, was also kidnapped, but kept elsewhere.
Over the past 15 months, Hamas has filmed and released videos of some of the hostages saying how difficult their situation is and asking Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu for a ceasefire deal and hostage-prisoner exchange.
In November 2023, Hamas published a video of Yarden Bibas being told his wife and children had been killed. Hamas said they were killed in an IDF air strike on Khan Younis, in southern Gaza.
Yarden broke down crying in the video. He is now among 11 male hostages under the age of 50 who are being released because they are physically or psychologically infirm. But it is not known for sure that any of them are still alive.
Hamas released a video of hostage Yarden Bibas, but it’s not known if he is still alive. (Supplied: Telegram)
Ninety-four hostages remain in the Gaza Strip, including 91 taken as part of the 2023 attack and three captured earlier. The fate of many is unclear.
Hamas claimed it tried to release Shiri, Kfir and Ariel’s bodies as part of the first ceasefire at the end of 2023, but that Israel wouldn’t accept them. But it has not released videos or pictures of Shiri and her children either alive or dead.
“I don’t know whether I need to buy them clothes because they don’t have anything left here, their house is completely destroyed,” Yifat said.
“The uncertainty is completely paralysing.”
Israel’s government has said it does not know the family’s fate and has warned that Hamas’s announcements could be psychological warfare. Israeli authorities believe at least half of the 94 hostages in Gaza are alive.
A total of 33 hostages are expected to be released by Hamas as part of phase one of the ceasefire agreement in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians, who are either convicted prisoners or administrative detainees whom Israel has imprisoned without charges or trial.
“These weeks are moving very, very slowly and we hope for the best. We hope to see them, to hug them, to feel them, and to rehabilitate them from this nightmare,” Yifat said.
“All four of them.”
Loading Instagram content
Hamas freed three living Israeli women last weekend, and announced it would release another four women on Saturday. That means neither the Bibas children nor the father will be released — so likely, not the mother, either.
Yifat and the Bibas family’s other relatives are trying to stay positive.
“We are trying to hold onto hope and think in the most positive way. But from week to week, from release to release, when we don’t know if they are the next ones in line [to be released] or not it becomes harder and harder,” she said.
According to the ceasefire agreement, the day before the transfers, both sides must release the names of the people they will be releasing.
There have been reports in Hebrew media that on Friday, local time, Hamas will provide the names of the four women, along with another list detailing the health status of the other hostages expected to be released in the first phase of the deal.
The Bibas family relatives are not alone in their fears over the fate of their loved ones.
“While we are filled with joy for the four hostages scheduled to be released, knowing that they will be reunited with their families, we simultaneously face the terrifying possibility of learning that some of our loved ones might not be alive,” a statement from Israel’s Hostage and Missing Families Forum read.
The group has been representing people captured and harmed as part of Hamas’s October 7 attack.
Some hostages are known to have been killed later by the Israeli military bombardment, three were mistakenly shot dead by Israeli soldiers, and six are believed to have been killed by their Hamas guards when Israeli soldiers came near.
Many Israelis are sceptical of Hamas’s claims that Shiri, Kfir and Ariel Bibas are among the dead.
That tragic question will soon be answered, if and when they are released.
What’s less clear, is how ready Israelis are for the worst.
Hamas claims that Shiri Bibas and her children have been killed, but many Israelis are skeptical of the terrorist group’s claims. The Israeli government has not confirmed the deaths, and there is speculation that Hamas may be spreading false information for propaganda purposes. As tensions continue to escalate between Israel and Hamas, it is crucial to verify the accuracy of such reports before drawing any conclusions. Stay tuned for updates on this developing situation.
Tags:
Hamas, Shiri Bibas, children, dead, Israelis, disbelief, Gaza, conflict, news, Middle East, tragedy
#Hamas #Shiri #Bibas #children #dead #Israelis #dont
When Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas were not on the list of the names of the captives set to be released on Saturday, “our world caved in on us,” their family said in a post on Instagram.
Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir – as civilian women and children – should have been released before female soldiers, according to the terms of the hostage deal.
When Hamas announced that four female soldiers – Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Liri Albag, and Naama Levy would be released on Saturday, it raised questions regarding the release of the Bibas family, as well as Arbel Yehoud – another civilian woman being held by Hamas.
Hamas has since announced that Arbel Yehoud will be released next week, Reuters reported, and Israel is working to ensure her release comes sooner. The Bibas relatives added that hearing that their family members were not on the list for Saturday was earth-shattering despite the fact that they had been prepared for the possibility in advance.“We had hoped to see Shiri and the kids on the list, which was supposed to be a list of civilians,” the family said.
“An exciting and complex day is ahead of us. Liri, Daniella, Naama, and Karina, we are waiting to see you smiling and surrounded by your amazing families at home.“Shiri, Yarden, Ariel, and Kfir, we will continue to hope and demand you [are brought home],” they said.“It’s not over until it’s over.”
Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir were taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz, along with father Yarden Bibas, who is also slated to be released in the first stage of the deal.There is “serious concern” regarding the well-being of Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir, IDF Chief Spokesperson R.-Adm. Daniel Hagari said on Saturday, also noting that the IDF remains “steadfast in our determination” to bring them home.Hamas’s al-Qassam Brigade claimed in November 2023 that Shiri and her two sons had been killed, but the IDF has not established if these claims are true.
Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad have previously made false claims about the status of the hostages.
The family addressed concerns about Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir’s well-being, stressing that this concern does not absolve the state from its obligation to give the family certainty or the media from speaking about them. “In the evening, when we turned on the news, our pain, our fight, and mostly the vital discussion of the complexity and disaster of the fact that they are not on the list was gone, not talked about by journalists in the studios,” the family said.“Does the serious concern for their lives cancel out the fact that they are civilians in captivity who need to come home?” the family asked, also asking if it cancels the state’s obligation to give the family certainty regarding the fate of their loved ones, or if it cancels out the need to show Shiri’s picture as a civilian held hostage in Gaza.
“The answer is no.”
The Bibas family is expressing deep concern after Hamas broke the terms of a recent hostage deal with Israel. The deal, which was brokered by Egyptian mediators, was meant to secure the release of two Israeli civilians, Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, as well as the remains of two Israeli soldiers, Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul.
However, Hamas failed to uphold their end of the agreement, as they have not provided any information on the condition or location of the hostages. This has left the Bibas family in a state of uncertainty and worry, as they await news of their loved ones.
The Israeli government has condemned Hamas for their breach of the deal and has called for the immediate release of the hostages. The Bibas family is urging the international community to put pressure on Hamas to fulfill their obligations and bring their family members home safely.
As the situation continues to unfold, the Bibas family is holding out hope for a swift resolution and the safe return of their loved ones.
Tags:
#Bibas #family #concerned #Hamas #breaks #hostage #deal #terms #Israel #News
Hamas on Saturday released four female Israeli soldiers held hostage in the Gaza Strip, in a choreographed ceremony that was the latest sign of the group’s effort to project power despite Israel’s 470-day military campaign to dislodge them.
It was the second release of hostages as part of a cease-fire deal that went into effect nearly a week earlier. Per the agreement, Israel released 200 Palestinian prisoners on Saturday who had been held in Israeli jails.
A line of white buses carrying prisoners left Ofer prison in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Prisoners were also released from another facility near Beersheba in southern Israel, the Israeli prison service said.
Many of the 200 prisoners released on Saturday were serving life sentences for involvement in attacks against Israelis. Around 70 are being exiled abroad as part of the agreement and will not be allowed to return to their homes in the West Bank and Jerusalem, according to a list provided by the Palestinian authorities.
But the prisoner-hostage swap on Saturday did not go entirely to plan. Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, an Israeli military spokesman, accused Hamas of violating the deal by not returning captive Israeli civilians first. Israeli officials said that under the agreement, Arbel Yehud, an Israeli woman held hostage in Gaza, was supposed to be one of the four women released on Saturday.
Israel had been expected to withdraw some of its forces to allow hundreds of thousands of displaced Gazans to head north after Saturday’s exchange. But the Israeli prime minister’s office said that it would not allow Gazans to head north “until the release of the civilian Arbel Yehud has been arranged,” leaving the timing of the troop withdrawal and the residents’ return unclear.
Hamas accused Israel of hesitating to fully implement the cease-fire agreement. The dispute is one of the most significant between the parties since the cease-fire took effect.
Israeli officials said they believed that Ms. Yehud wasn’t being held by Hamas, suggesting she was possibly being held by another party, and that the holdup was not solely Hamas’s responsibility.
The four Israeli hostages released by Hamas on Saturday, who were dressed in military-style clothes, had been working as lookouts for Israel’s army, reporting on suspicious activity across the border, when they were captured. During the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, 2023, militants stormed the Nahal Oz military base in Israel, killing more than 50 soldiers and abducting the four women and three other female soldiers.
Under the terms of the cease-fire deal, fighting between the Israeli military and Hamas militants stopped in the morning of Sunday, Jan. 19. The first hostages, three women seized in the 2023 attack, were released on Sunday, in exchange for 90 Palestinian prisoners being held in Israel, who were released hours later.
The current phase of the cease-fire is to last just 42 days and free only 33 of about 100 hostages still in Gaza, some of whom are believed to be dead. Significant diplomatic hurdles to extending the cease-fire lie ahead. Israel and Hamas reached the deal in part by putting off their most intractable disputes until a vaguely-described “second phase,” which may be difficult to negotiate.
During the hostage handover ceremony on Saturday, armed Hamas fighters dressed in pristine uniforms, their faces covered, escorted the four hostages to a stage at Palestine Square in the center of Gaza City. Then they were handed over to a representative of the Red Cross.
The stage-managed ceremony, seemingly meant to convey Hamas’ strength and control in Gaza, included some jarring juxtapositions.
The backdrop to the handover was a large banner printed with slogans, one of which described Palestine in English as “The Victory of the Oppressed People vs the Nazi Zionism.”
The ceremony was held in an area devastated by Israel’s bombing campaign and ground incursion, with hundreds of uniformed fighters and civilians gathered nearby. Hamas fighters were showered with confetti.
The hostages incongruously smiled and waved at the cheering and whistling onlookers. In the past, Israeli officials have said that Hamas has forced hostages to appear cheerful to suggest that they were well treated.
Adm. Hagari, the Israeli military spokesman, derided the ceremony as “cynical.”
Hamas “presented a false show of taking care of the hostages, when in fact, it has cruelly held men and women for 477 days,” Adm. Hagari said.
Before the four hostages were released, Hamas held a signing ceremony on the stage, between one of its members and a representative of the Red Cross. The hostages were then driven by the Red Cross to Israeli troops stationed in the territory.
Two Israeli helicopters ferried the hostages to Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva, a city in central Israel, to the excited cheers of hundreds who gathered to welcome their arrival with Israeli flags.
“We wanted to show the hostages and their families how much we care for them,” said Helena Dabush, 42, who lives nearby and brought her four children along.
The released hostages were all teenagers and recent recruits into the military when they were abducted. Karina Ariev, now 20, is the daughter of immigrants from Ukraine; Daniella Gilboa, 20, is an aspiring concert pianist from central Israel; Naama Levy, 20, was a triathlete who grew up in a town north of Tel Aviv; and Liri Albag, 19, is an aspiring architect and interior designer.
There was also jubilation in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah, where hundreds of Palestinians gathered at a municipal building to welcome the released Palestinian prisoners and pushed to get hold of their loved ones as they stepped out of Red Cross buses.
Some freed prisoners, still wearing gray uniforms apparently issued by the Israeli prison authority, were held on the shoulders of the chanting crowd.
“We leave our jail but the price is high for our freedom,” Mohammad Arda, one of the freed prisoners, told reporters, as family and friends huddled around him. “I’m thinking about the families of the inmates we lost during the past year and a half.”
The 90 prisoners released nearly a week earlier by Israel were mostly women and minors. This time, the Israeli authorities freed many people who were convicted of much heavier offenses, including the murder of Israeli civilians.
According to the Israeli government, Mr. Arda — an activist in the militant group Palestinian Islamic Jihad — had been sentenced to life for attempted murder and planting an explosive device, among other offenses. He was one of six prisoners who briefly escaped from an Israeli prison in 2021, stunning Israelis and Palestinians, before he was caught.
More than 1,500 Palestinians jailed by Israel are supposed to be released as part of the first stage of the cease-fire and hostage-release agreement. Hamas has pledged to release 33 hostages; 97 — around a third of whom the Israeli military believes are deceased — were being held in Gaza when the deal went into effect last Sunday, according to the Israeli authorities.
About 120 of the Palestinian prisoners released on Saturday were serving life sentences for involvement in attacks on Israelis, according to lists provided by the Hamas-linked prisoners’ office. Those released on Saturday included Mohammad Odeh, Wael Qassim and Wissam Abbasi, who were arrested in 2002 for a string of deadly bombings targeting Israelis in crowded civilian areas. All three were serving life sentences.
One of the group’s most infamous attacks, which took place at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, killed nine people, including five Americans.
The three men are among those slated to be exiled abroad and will never be allowed to return to their homes in Jerusalem, according to the terms of the agreement.
Still uncertain on Saturday was when displaced Palestinians in southern and central Gaza would be able to return to their neighborhoods in the north, many of which were destroyed by Israel’s bombing campaign.
The holdup in the Israeli troop withdrawal left many Palestinians in a state of anxious waiting as they were already packing their belongings, including kitchen supplies, clothing and mattress pads.
“My husband and I have been waiting for this day with so much anticipation, but I can’t help feeling frightened about the great destruction I’ll see on the way back,” said Nour Qasim, 22, originally a resident of Gaza City.
The cease-fire had been brokered by mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and representatives of both the outgoing Biden administration and the incoming Trump administration. It was a rare instance of high-profile cooperation between the two teams, but the difference in how they may regard the conflict became clear on Friday.
The Trump administration said it would proceed with a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel that last summer, then-President Joseph R. Biden Jr. abruptly halted to try to dissuade the Israeli military from destroying much of the city of Rafah, which the Israeli forces did anyway.
The shipment includes 1,800 MK-84 bombs, said a White House official, who agreed to discuss sensitive weapons aid on the condition of anonymity. Such bombs are judged by U.S. military officers to be generally too lethal and destructive for urban combat. Until the halt, the Biden administration had shipped the bombs to Israel as its military fought Hamas in Gaza.
Reporting was contributed by Fatima AbdulKarim, Afif Amireh, Natan Odenheimer, Rawan Sheikh Ahmad, Bilal Shbair, Aritz Parra and Edward Wong.
Hamas, the militant Palestinian group, has recently released more Israeli hostages in a surprising move that has caught many by surprise. However, as they release these hostages, Hamas is also putting on a show of force, demonstrating their military capabilities and sending a strong message to their adversaries.
The release of Israeli hostages is a significant development in the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel. It shows that Hamas is willing to negotiate and potentially de-escalate tensions, at least temporarily. However, the simultaneous display of military might is a reminder that Hamas remains a formidable force in the region and is not afraid to use violence if necessary.
The release of hostages and the show of force also serve as a reminder of the complex and volatile nature of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is a reminder that while there may be moments of progress and potential for peace, the underlying issues and grievances that fuel the conflict are far from being resolved.
Overall, Hamas’s actions serve as a reminder of the delicate balance of power in the region and the challenges that lie ahead in achieving a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
Tags:
Hamas, Israeli hostages, hostage release, show of force, Middle East conflict, Hamas news, international relations, political tensions, Gaza Strip, Palestinian territories
#Hamas #Releases #Israeli #Hostages #Puts #Show #Force
Israel is due to release more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners over the course of the 42-day initial cease-fire, according to the terms of the agreement, beginning with at least 90 on Sunday in exchange for three Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
Israelis say that many of the prisoners are terrorists and murderers. Many Palestinians see the imprisoned militants as freedom fighters against Israeli rule, and they argue that others were jailed by an unfair Israeli military justice system.
Here are several of the most prominent Palestinian prisoners set to be released under the cease-fire, according to the Israeli Justice Ministry.
Over the past two decades, Zakaria Zubeidi, 49, has been a militant, a theater director, and an escaped prisoner whose flight stunned Israelis and Palestinians alike.
Mr. Zubeidi rose to prominence as a militant leader during the Second Intifada, or uprising, in the early 2000s, during which Palestinian militants committed deadly attacks against Israelis, including suicide bombings targeting civilian thoroughfares.
Israel responded by reoccupying major Palestinian cities amid street battles. Some of the toughest fighting took place in the Palestinian city of Jenin, Mr. Zubeidi’s hometown. He later emerged as a top commander in the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, an armed militia loosely linked with the secular Fatah party, the dominant Palestinian political faction in the West Bank.
After the uprising, Mr. Zubeidi worked at a theater inside the hardscrabble Jenin refugee camp. In 2019, Israel arrested him again on charges that he had returned to militancy.
Two years later, Mr. Zubeidi and five other Palestinian prisoners conducted a jailbreak by crawling nearly 32 yards through an underground tunnel outside one of Israel’s maximum-security prisons. Although they were later recaptured, the security breach shook Israelis and thrilled Palestinians.
An Israeli drone strike killed Mr. Zubeidi’s son, Mohammad, in September. The Israeli military called the son a “significant terrorist” and said he had been involved in shooting at Israeli troops.
Wissam Abbasi, 48, Mohammad Odeh, 52, and Wael Qassim, 54, were jailed in 2002 on accusations of carrying out Hamas attacks against Israelis during the Second Intifada. According to Israel’s justice ministry, the three men were given life sentences for murder and a string of other crimes.
According to contemporary Israeli media reports, the men were among several convicted of being involved in a Hamas cell in Jerusalem that was responsible for a string of bombings that killed over 30 Israelis in crowded civilian areas.
The attacks included a Hamas bombing at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem that killed nine people, including four U.S. citizens, according to the Israeli authorities.
Mr. Odeh, who was working as a painter at the university, planted the bomb in a cafeteria and covered it with a newspaper, The New York Times reported at the time, citing Israeli officials. When he left, he remotely detonated the explosive with a cellphone, the officials said.
Under the terms of the cease-fire deal, the men will not be allowed to return to their homes in Jerusalem, according to the Israeli justice ministry. They will be required to live in exile, although it is unclear where they will be allowed to go.
One of the most prominent Palestinian prisoners expected to be released as early as Sunday is Khalida Jarrar, 62, a leader in the left-wing Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
Ms. Jarrar, a prominent activist for the rights of Palestinians jailed by Israel, was elected to the Palestinian Parliament in the 2006 elections.
The United States and the European Union consider the Popular Front a terrorist organization. The group became notorious in the late 1960s for a series of plane hijackings, as well as other attacks, including during the Second Intifada.
Ghassan Jarrar, her husband, said in a telephone interview that the Israeli authorities had not allowed him to visit his wife since her arrest in December 2023. He has grasped for any news of her condition he could get from rare visits by her lawyer, he said.
Ms. Jarrar has spent much of the past decade in and out of Israeli prison, although she has not been convicted of direct involvement in the Popular Front’s military activities. In 2015, she was sentenced to 15 months for incitement and belonging to a banned organization.
In recent years, Israel has mostly held Ms. Jarrar without formal charges. Rights groups call the practice a severe violation of due process, while Israel says it is necessary at times to protect sensitive intelligence.
In 2021, her daughter Suha died while Ms. Jarrar was being held in an Israeli prison. Israel denied a request to grant her a humanitarian furlough to attend the funeral.
Gaza Cease-Fire Between Israel and Hamas Nears: Live Updates
As tensions have escalated in the Gaza Strip over the past week, there are signs that a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas may be imminent. Both sides have been engaged in intense fighting, with airstrikes and rocket attacks causing widespread destruction and casualties.
In the latest developments, reports indicate that negotiations for a cease-fire are ongoing, with mediators working to broker a deal that would bring an end to the violence. The United Nations and other international bodies have been calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities, urging both sides to show restraint and work towards a peaceful resolution.
Meanwhile, the situation on the ground remains dire, with thousands of civilians caught in the crossfire and facing shortages of food, water, and medical supplies. Humanitarian organizations have been working tirelessly to provide assistance to those in need, but the scale of the crisis is overwhelming.
As we continue to monitor the situation in Gaza, stay tuned for live updates on the progress of the cease-fire negotiations and the latest developments on the ground. Our thoughts are with the people of Gaza and Israel during this difficult time, and we hope for a swift resolution to the conflict.
Tags:
Gaza cease-fire, Israel and Hamas, live updates, Middle East conflict, peace negotiations, Palestinian territories, Israeli military, Hamas militants, international diplomacy, truce negotiations, Gaza Strip, cease-fire agreement.
#Gaza #CeaseFire #Israel #Hamas #Nears #Live #Updates
Thousands of people gathered on streets across Israel on the eve of a ceasefire deal with Hamas, as the nation awaits the return of hostages who have been held captive for the past 15 months in Gaza.
In Tel Aviv, thousands of demonstrators gathered on Saturday night in a plaza known as “Hostages Square,” where families of the captives have held rallies for more than a year. Many have called for the government to negotiate the release of all hostages.
Luis Har, a former hostage held in Gaza for four months, expressed his concern about the well-being of those still trapped by Hamas.
Thirty-three Israeli hostages held by Hamas and its allies are expected to be released during the first phase of the ceasefire deal, which is set to last for six weeks. It remains unclear if all of them are alive.
Hamas and its allies still hold 94 of the 251 people taken from the October 7 attack on southern Israel. Of those, at least 34 are dead, according to the Israeli government, though the true number is expected to be higher. More than 150 have already been returned.
Meanwhile, in Tel Aviv and across Israel, anti-government protesters also gathered, calling for an end to the war and for Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to resign.
“We want them back alive, not in coffins,” a crowd chanted as it marched from HaBima Square to Begin Road in Tel Aviv, holding up banners and waving Israeli flags.
Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan Zangauker is held captive by Hamas, called on the nation to make sure the government “does not blow up this deal.”
Members of the “Pink Front,” a group of young artists and performers who often lead the chants at protests, shouted pro-democracy slogans to the beat of drums, calling for a comprehensive deal to bring back all hostages.
Breaking News: Gaza Ceasefire in Effect as Hamas Releases List of Hostages to be Freed
In a significant development, a ceasefire has been implemented in Gaza after Hamas released a list of hostages to be freed. The move comes after weeks of escalating violence between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants.
The ceasefire, which went into effect earlier today, aims to bring an end to the hostilities and provide relief to civilians caught in the crossfire. Hamas has agreed to release a number of hostages in exchange for the cessation of Israeli airstrikes and military operations in the region.
The release of the list of hostages marks a crucial step towards peace and reconciliation in Gaza. The names of those to be freed have not been disclosed, but it is hoped that their release will help pave the way for further negotiations and a lasting ceasefire.
Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story. Let us hope that this ceasefire holds and brings much-needed relief to the people of Gaza. #GazaCeasefire #HostageRelease #PeaceInGaza
Tags:
#Live #updates #Gaza #ceasefire #begins #Hamas #releases #list #hostages #freed
Emily Damari, a now-28-year-old British-Israeli fan of the soccer team Tottenham Hotspur is set to be freed after over a year in Hamas captivity as part of the first phase of a hostage-ceasefire deal.
On the morning of October 7, Damari was abducted from her Kfar Aza apartment along with 37 other residents of her kibbutz.
Damari’s friend Bar Kislev told Israel’s Channel 12 that she saw Damari’s vehicle being driven around the Kibbutz at 11 am on the day of the invasion.
The terrorists “shot [her] in the hand,” and she was “injured by shrapnel in her leg, blindfolded, bundled into the back of her own car, and driven back to Gaza”, according to her mother Mandy.
The invading terrorists murdered Damari’s dog Choocha, after they shot him in the back of the neck.
Damari grew up in southeast London but moved to Israel after falling in love to start a family, Sky News reported.
Mandy has campaigned in the United Kingdom and Israel and credited US President-elect Donald Trump for the latest agreement which may see her daughter’s return.
“President-elect Donald Trump, you have really made my dreams come true. A deal has been signed,” she told the Daily Mail.
“But it’s not over,” she continued. “My nightmare is still going on until I see Emily and all the other 98 hostages back in Israel with their families.”
Adam Rose, a lawyer representing the interests of British and British-linked hostages, told the Jewish Chronicle “I don’t think there’s yet any expectation of who will come out immediately. There’s lots of rumors but I don’t think anyone should rely on that at all.”
Despite news indicating Damari may soon be freed from Gaza, her mother told the BBC last month she feared Damari may be dead “And if she’s not dead, she’s not getting enough food to eat, she’s not able to wash herself, drink water, she could be ill.”
“She’s suffering from gunshot wounds to her hand and her leg… I worry every day, I worry every second because in the next second, she could be murdered, just because she’s there,” Mandy continued.
Before her abduction, Damari enjoyed watching soccer matches, watching Ed Sheeran concerts and shopping.
In honor of the young fan, historic soccer rival clubs fans for Spurs and Arsenal united in a demonstration to honor Damari on Wednesday. Yellow balloons were released on the 7th minute of the North London Derby.
At Tottenham, fans have been known to chant, “She’s one of our own, she’s one of our own, Emily Damari, bring her home.”
Mandy expressed, according to the Jewish News, “I am overwhelmed by the support that Arsenal and Tottenham fans want to show for Emily tonight. I always say that anyone who helps to share Emily’s story and do what they can in the campaign to bring her home is a part of our family.
“My dear husband, Emily’s father, was a football coach on our kibbutz, and he always said that football can bring the world together. He’s certainly been proven right today. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, and I hope that Emily can be with you all at the next derby.”
In a groundbreaking development, Emily Damari, who has been held captive by Hamas for over a year, is set to be released in a deal brokered by Israel. The young woman was kidnapped while traveling in Gaza and has been held in captivity ever since.
The details of the deal remain confidential, but it is believed that Israel has agreed to release a number of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Emily’s freedom. This news comes as a huge relief to Emily’s family and friends, who have been tirelessly campaigning for her release.
Emily’s ordeal has captured the attention of people around the world, with many calling for her immediate release. It is hoped that this deal will bring an end to her suffering and allow her to be reunited with her loved ones.
We send our thoughts and prayers to Emily and her family during this difficult time and hope for a swift and safe return home. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.
Tags:
#Hostage #Emily #Damari #released #Hamas #captivity #deal #Israel #News
