Eleven more hostages freed – seven Israeli children still remain in Gaza
Another 11 Israeli hostages were released by Hamas Monday night as part of the four-day ceasefire agreement – two women and nine children.
Eitan Yahalomi and his mother on his return last night, at the Kerem Shalom meeting point. Photo: IDF
The two women were each released with two of their children. There were also two sets of two brothers released.
They were turned over to the Red Cross and started their journey home to Israel.
All of those released were taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7.
Sharon Aloni-Konio, 34, and her two twin children, Ema Konio and Yuli Konio age 3. The children’s father remains in captivity.
Karina Angel Bret, 51, and two of her children Mika Angel, 18 and Yuval Angel, 11.
Eitan Yahalomi, 12.
Brother and sister Sahar Calderon, 16 and Erez Calderon, 12.
Brothers Or Yaakov, 16 and Yagil Yaakov, 12.
Seven Israeli children and two Israelis who were only 18 when taken captive are still being held hostage in Gaza.
Kfir Bibas – 10 months old
Ariel Bibas – 4 years old
Gali Tarshansky – 13 years old
Amit Shani – 16 years old
Maya Leimberg and Aisha Alziadna – 17 years old
Ofir Engel – turned 18 while in captivity
Liam Orr and Itay Regev – 18
Video of the Goldstein-Almog family’s return to Israel from Hamas captivity on Saturday – the mother Chen and the children Agam, Gal and Tal – in an IAF helicopter.
The Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip Yahya Sinwar is said to have visited some of the Israeli hostages after they were abducted, according to an Israeli television report citing a released hostage.
According to the woman, whose identity was not disclosed, the visit took place in a subterranean tunnel during the first couple of days following the October 7 attacks, when Hamas fighters rampaged through Israeli border communities near Gaza and killed about 1200 people and took dozens more hostage.
The visitor had introduced himself as Yahya Sinwar and spoke Hebrew, the freed hostage said.
“You are safest here, nothing will happen to you,” the woman quoted him as saying.
The report cannot be independently verified.
Sinwar was convicted by Israel in 1988 for the murder of four suspected collaborators and two Israeli soldiers.
He spent more than two decades in Israeli custody, during which time he learnt Hebrew.
In 2011, Sinwar was released as one of more than 1000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
In 2017, he became the head of the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip.
Since the October 7 attacks committed by Hamas and other groups in the Israeli border area, Sinwar has been at the top of Israel’s most wanted list.
Goldstein-Almog family
Photo: IDF
Sign: ” We are flying overseas!
The first meeting between Avigail Idan (4), who was released last night from Hamas captivity, with her Aunt Liron and her Grandmother Shlomit, at the Hatzerim Air Force Base.
AAP/GPO/TPS
Mixed feelings reading this … the seven children who are not yet home, including baby Kfir and Ariel 4 years old; may they please be returned in the next group of hostages released.
As to Eitan Yahalomi, 12 years old, returning alone to finally be with his mother in Israel, how alienated and lost he must have felt. Wonderful to see them together, arms around one another. Welcome home, Eitan.
May this nightmare be over and all the hostages returned.