The hostage release deal brought both hope and anguish to the families of prisoners held in Gaza on Wednesday.
Uncertainty over the agreement – including who would be among the at least 50 hostages set to be released and whether more would follow – weighed on the emotions of relatives who have been fighting for their release in the 46 days since their abduction used during the Hamas attack on southern Israel.
Israel said about 240 people were taken hostage to Gaza and it remained unclear which of them would be released under the ceasefire deal announced overnight. Ceasefires in previous conflicts between Israel and Hamas have proven fragile.
Hours after the deal was announced, families said they had received no official information from Israeli authorities. The government said in a statement that women and children were being released, raising the possibility of family separation – for example, leaving behind fathers captured with their children. At least 36 Israeli civilians aged 18 and under are being held in Gaza along with 13 of their mothers.
“I feel like yesterday and the day before yesterday, only worse,” said Yael Engel Lichi, the aunt of Ofir Engel, a 12th-grader from Jerusalem who was kidnapped Oct. 7 from Kibbutz Be’eri, where he was staying with his girlfriend Yuval Sharabi, 17, and her family.
Since Tuesday evening, people have been calling to congratulate the family, said Ms. Engel Lichi on Wednesday morning. But she added: “We don’t know anything. No official has come forward to tell us anything.”
“We are on the verge of collapse,” she added.
A woman holds a picture of Ofir Engel at a rally for the release of hostages outside the Knesset in Jerusalem this month. Photo credit: Fadel Senna/Agence France-Presse – Getty Images
Mr. Engel was taken hostage along with his girlfriend’s father, Yossi Sharabi. Mr. Sharabi’s brother was also kidnapped in Be’eri and his wife and children were killed. A nephew was killed at a nearby music festival.
“Imagine the feelings within this family,” Ms. Engel Lichi said of the Sharabis. “It’s hard. It breaks you more and more and more.”
For others, the deal announcement was the first good news they had heard since October 7th.
“We are full of hope,” said Aharon Brodutch, whose sister-in-law Hagar Brodutch, 40, and her three young children, Ofri, 10, Yuval, 8, and Uriah, 4, were kidnapped from Kibbutz Kfar Azza. “At least for our family there should be an end,” he said, “but then we have to take care of the rest of the hostages.”
Avichai Brodutch, Hagar’s husband and father of the three children, began a vigil outside the military and government headquarters in Tel Aviv a week after her abduction, feeling that the country was more focused on revenge against Hamas than on the release of the hostages be considered. He showed up with the family dog and a homemade sign that read, “My family is in Gaza.” He was soon joined by numerous supporters.
The Brodutch family. From left, Hagar, Ofri, Avichai, Yuval and Uriah. All but Avichai were taken hostage on October 7. Photo credit: Avichai Brodutch, via Associated Press
Some families of elderly male hostages who were not expected to be among the first released expressed frustration and despair.
Shay Benjamin, whose father Ron, 52, was captured during an early morning bike ride near Be’eri, said she had put her life on hold since her father’s abduction and feared there was no end in sight. Noting that it took almost 50 days for this deal to come together, she said: “Just think how much time it will take them to make another deal for the men.”
Ms Benjamin said she would be happy if the children were released, but added: “Everyone deserves to come home.”
— Isabel Kershner and Adam Sella report from Jerusalem