The release of the first two hostages by Hamas terrorists gives hope to other families
Israel updated this Saturday (21) the number of people kidnapped by Hamas. They are 210 Hostages of terrorists.
While they were already hiding in the bunker, the parents received a call from their 22yearold son. Omer says everything is fine. He was at the electronic music festival near the Gaza Strip on October 7th. At that moment he ran to hide in an underground shelter. He promised he would call when he arrived. Never heard anything again.
Niva It is Shai Wenkert They say that two hours later they saw a video from the terrorist group Hamas on social media. It was her son, tied to the back of a pickup truck.
“We discovered that he was alive, captured by Hamas and on his way to the Gaza Strip,” says the father.
“Yesterday we saw the mother and her daughter leaving Gaza, liberated from Hamas. It gave me hope that my son would get out as soon as possible.”
1 of 1 Israel updates the number of hostages held by Hamas to 210 Photo: Reproduction/TV Globo Israel updates the number of hostages held by Hamas to 210 Photo: Reproduction/TV Globo
Judith Raanan59 years old, and her daughter, Natalie, 17, arrived in Israel last night. They are Americans from the Chicago metropolitan area. They traveled to Israel to celebrate Judith’s mother’s 85th birthday and Natalie’s 18th birthday. They were at the kibbutzz in Nahal Oz on October 7 when they were kidnapped.
Eight of their relatives are still missing and three have been murdered. They left Gaza via the Rafah crossing on the border with Egypt. The organization’s president said she was relieved and that the Red Cross continued to call for the release of all hostages and was ready to help the families in any way possible.
Judith and Natalie were then taken to a military base where they were reunited with their relatives. In Tel A Viv, Yaniz says the news of the release is encouraging and that everyone there is praying that the hostages will be released as quickly as possible.
Natalie’s father, who lives in Chicago, said he hadn’t slept for two weeks, but on Friday evening (20) he spoke to his daughter on the phone and she said she was fine, he said.
“I only spoke to her for a minute, it was very emotional. I told her I love her.” When asked what he would do at the reunion, the father said: “I will hug her and kiss her. It will be the best day of my life.”
There was also a vigil on Friday in the region where they live. The Rabbi My Hecht said they had spent the last two weeks praying and waiting for this day. The longtime neighbor of the building they live in said she was relieved and they could now plan a party for their return.
American President Joe Biden spoke to the two by phone on Friday and thanked Qatar which mediated the negotiations. Ten Americans remain missing.
The terrorist group still claims 210 Hostages in the Gaza Strip. The number was updated this Saturday (20) by the Israeli government, which also states that the majority are still alive. About 20 are over 60 and another 20 are under 18, including a ninemonthold baby. Among the hostages is Omer, whose parents have a poster on the wall that says: “Bring him back now.”
His father says: “The war will only end when all the hostages are back home.”