Eyal Mor speaks with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on Friday. CNN
Eyal Mor, whose family members were among the hostages released by Hamas on Friday, said he had “mixed feelings” about the complicated return home.
The family – Ohad Munder, who was nine years old in captivity, his mother Keren Munder, 54, and grandmother Ruth Munder, 78 – are in good shape “both physically and mentally”. But later added: “Of course we’ll have to see, these are all initial reports.”
“The psychologist says it has to be very slow and very progressive. The return to normality has to be very controlled, so we will follow that advice,” Mor told CNN.
He said he and other family members knew the transition back to life would be a delicate process. He said they needed to tell Ohad, Keren and Ruth about other family members who died while in Hamas’s detention.
From left: Ohad Munder, Keren Munder and Ruth Munder. Family Forum for Hostages and Missing Persons/AP
“It puts us in a very conflicted situation because on the one hand people would like to come and celebrate with them,” he said, referring to people who support his family and Ohad’s story. But “on the other hand, they just found out that they lost someone. So the feelings here are mixed.”
Mor said he saw a “very emotional” video taken at a hospital showing the moment the three were reunited with other family members on Friday.
“People were crying with joy, with excitement,” he said. “It’s really been a scene that we’ve been imagining for the last 49 days and suddenly it happens. It is really incredible.”
Mor said he plans to meet with them on Saturday. He said his family still hopes for the release of another family member – Ruth Munder’s 78-year-old husband, who is still being held by Hamas.