For Jonathan Dekel-Chen, this week has been a mixture of pleasure and disappointment each day. He’s celebrating the return of his son Sagui, who was launched over the weekend as a part of a ceasefire settlement with Hamas. Nevertheless, harking back to Sagui’s ordeal and the struggling of the remaining hostages is unattainable to flee.
“At present is a day with very difficult feelings,” Dekel Chen stated in an interview Thursday.
He simply visited his son at a Tel Aviv space hospital on the day Hamas turned the co, which allegedly contained the our bodies of 4 neighbors of Kibbutz Neil Ouncess 4 Dekel Chen. It was. He was killed or taken hostage on October 7, 2023.
It has been 504 days because the Hamas-led assault, and about 60 hostages have but to return residence. “We now must double down by bringing all of the hostages residence,” Dekel Chen stated. The 4 our bodies returned Thursday are stated to incorporate three members, Ariel Bibas, who was solely 10 months outdated, and 4 Kfir Bibas and mom Shiri Bibas. Vivaze’s video of her being transported to Gaza has been circulated via phrase of mouth.
However early on Friday, Israeli forces introduced that the ruins of what’s stated to be Vivas’ co-site didn’t match the hostage id. “This can be a violation of the best severity,” the army stated.
Authorities say the stays of a kid who was 83 years outdated when he was captured and killed by the extremist group Palestinian-Islamic Jihad, and the stays of Audoded Lifeschitz, in response to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s workplace. I’ve checked.
Lifshitz, a retired journalist, was captured alongside together with his spouse, Yokebed Lifshitz.
She explains abuse and distress within the underground tunnels of Hamas, with others warnings Hostages can not stand them.
Earlier than the battle, Lifshitz volunteered to drive Gazas to Israeli hospitals for remedy and was a founding member of the Peace Department, a bunch advocating for 2 state options to the Israeli-Palestinian battle. Dekel-Chen, who had been mates with Lifshitz for many years, stated he was “a person who is absolutely dedicated to his values.”
1000’s of Israelis paid tribute to Lifshitz and the opposite hostages at a rally on Thursday evening, which turned generally known as the Hostage Sq. in Tel Aviv. They have been additionally there to stress the Israeli authorities to safe the discharge of these nonetheless held.
The rally speaker demanded that the Netanyahu authorities not collapse the ceasefire. The primary section of the Israeli- Hamas settlement comes into impact in January and is predicted to finish inside two weeks. Negotiations for the second section are delayed, leaving the destiny of dozens of prisoners within the air.
The delicate ceasefire led to the discharge of hostages from Gaza in change for Palestinians held in Israeli prisons, however considerations amongst hostage family that there might not be one other spherical of launch. there’s.
Yael Adar, whose son Tamil Adar was killed in an assault on Kibbutz Nir Ouncesand whose physique has not been returned from Gaza, spoke on the rally on Thursday. She stated when Tamil’s son heard that his physique can be returned to Israel this week, his father requested if he would return residence.
“We informed him no, nevertheless it wasn’t at this stage. The ASAF did not perceive why there was a stage,” she stated.
Netanyahu’s workplace stated six stay hostages shall be launched on Saturday, not as deliberate, as an alternative of three, and 4 extra our bodies shall be returned subsequent week.
However family are nervous.
Hamas’ failure to return Mr. Vivas raises new questions concerning the destiny of talks within the second section of the ceasefire deal, whether or not the following launch of hostages and prisoners will progress on Saturday.
If negotiations within the second section fail, some are believed to have round 60 hostages useless, and they’re going to possible stay in Gaza. And if the battle resumes, the residing shall be in even better hazard.
A rally was held at Hostage Sq. on Monday to commemorate the five hundredth day prisoners of battle on Gaza.
Among the many audio system was Ela David, sister of Eviyatar David, who was filmed from the Nova Music Competition within the assault on October seventh. “Section 2 is the final probability to save lots of dozens of lives,” she stated. “If this transaction falls aside and Section 2 doesn’t start, our historical past pages will stay black stains.”
The launched hostage says they cannot afford it.
Keith Siegel’s spouse drove via the spot at a Monday rally at Hostage Sq.. Mr. Siegel happened in Gaza practically 500 days, and 6 months have been spent alone locking himself in a small room. He was overwhelmed, threatened with a muzzle, and lowered to “nothing” by his prisoner, within the phrases of his spouse, Aviva.
He ate solely moldy pita bread, misplaced 65 kilos, and thought he wouldn’t survive for a number of days, Siegel first defined the small print of her husband’s expertise.
“He went via 484 days of hell,” stated Siegel, who was held hostage. She was launched throughout a brief truce in November 2023. “I used to be in Gaza. I survived. Keith survived. Nobody else would,” Siegel warned.
This was a recurring theme by different former prisoners, together with 46-year-old Iair Horn, who was launched on Saturday together with two different hostages in change for 369 Palestinian prisoners.
He appeared in a video message at a rally on Monday, recorded about 48 hours after returning to Israel, pleading his brother Eitan Horn.
“I used to be there. I used to be within the tunnel in Hamas. I skilled it firsthand,” Iair Horn stated. “And I am telling you, hostages do not have time. They’ve to return again now.”
Since his return, he stated, individuals have stored asking what he wants. “I reply them, I solely want one factor: deliver my brother again. I deliver my brother again and all of the hostages.”
