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In a heart-wrenching turn of events that unfolded on Sunday, the 17 hostages, including four-year-old Avigail Idan, were released by Hamas in southern Israel.
The incident, stemming from Hamas’ October 7 attack, involved the tragic loss of Avigail’s parents, who were attacked and killed by Hamas gunmen in their home.
Avigail, who had just turned three at the time of her abduction, spent a significant part of her young life in captivity. Her family, expressing a mix of relief and gratitude, shared their hopes and prayers for this day to come.
Liz Hirsh Naftali, Avigail’s great aunt, and Noa Naftali, her cousin, issued a statement acknowledging the efforts of various entities, including US President Joe Biden and the Qatari government, in securing Avigail’s release.
President Biden, addressing the press, described Avigail’s experience as a “terrible trauma” and emphasized the unthinkable nature of what she endured.
He highlighted the role of intensive US diplomacy in achieving the release of hostages and expressed optimism about the potential release of more American hostages in the coming days.
Of the 17 hostages, 14 were Israeli and three were Thai nationals, including nine children. Avigail’s harrowing story unfolded in the Kfar Aza kibbutz, where her parents were killed during the attack.
Her survival, marked by the tragic circumstances of her father’s sacrifice, took a new turn as Hamas later abducted her along with the Brodutch family.
Among the released hostages were four-year-old Oria, eight-year-old Yuval, and 10-year-old Ofri from the Brodutch family. Their mother, Hagar Brodutch, expressed relief upon learning of their release.
Shmuel Brodutch, Hagar’s father-in-law, expressed his happiness while emphasizing the commitment to ensuring the return of all captives, including IDF soldiers.
Chen Almog-Goldstein and her children, who were abducted on the day of the attack, were also among those released.
Tragically, Chen’s husband and 20-year-old daughter were killed by Hamas. Dafna and Ela Elyakim, sisters aged 15 and eight, were part of a family group captured by attackers and live-streamed during the attack.
Their mother, Maayan Zin, conveyed a mix of joy and sadness, echoing the sentiments of many families awaiting the return of their loved ones.
The release also included individuals with diverse backgrounds, such as dual Israeli-Russian national Roni Krivoi, sound engineer at the Supernova music festival, and 62-year-old Adrienne Aviva Seigel, taken from her home in Kfar Aza along with her husband Keith.
Despite the joyous reunions, the situation remains complex, with 84-year-old Elma Avraham airlifted to Soroka Hospital in Beersheba in serious condition.
The ongoing four-day truce between Hamas and Israel has seen the release of a total of 54 hostages, with 117 Palestinian prisoners freed as part of the agreement.
Hamas’ October 7 attack, which claimed 1,200 lives and resulted in around 240 hostages, has left a lasting impact on the region.
Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry reports more than 14,500 casualties in Israel’s retaliatory campaign in the territory.
As Sunday marks the third day of the temporary ceasefire, the international community watches with bated breath, hoping for the safe and swift return of all hostages and an end to the tragic events that have unfolded in southern Israel.
The resilience of the affected families and the collaborative efforts to bring about these releases underscore the urgency of finding lasting solutions to the complex issues at the heart of this conflict.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members