Over the weekend, more than a dozen Israeli hostages held by Hamas since October 7 were released. It comes just days after a temporary ceasefire deal was struck for a hostage and prisoner exchange between Hamas and Israel.
On Saturday night, 13 Israelis, a Russian national and three Thai nationals were released, in exchange for the release of 39 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons.
The freed Israeli nationals were all women or children, and included 9-year old Emily Hand.
Hand’s father, Thomas, spoke to the media soon after he was reunited with his daughter, expressing his joy and relief.
“Emily has come back to us,” he said. “She has lost a lot of weight, from her face and body, but generally doing better than we expected.”
“We’d like to thank everyone that has helped and supported us throughout this whole 50 days. It’s been great, we can’t do it without you.”
In a statement, Hand’s family said: “We can’t find the words to describe our emotions after 50 challenging and complicated days. We are overjoyed to embrace Emily again.”
Hand was kidnnaped by Hamas on October 7 while she was at a friend’s sleepover in the Be’eri kibbutz.
Her friend, 13-year old Hila Rotem Shoshani was among the hostages released on Saturday, though Shoshani’s mother, Raya Rotem, remains in Hamas’ captivity.
The youngest hostage to be released so far is 4-year old Abigail Edan, a US-Israeli dual national whose parents were killed in Hamas’ attacks on Israel on October 7.
The toddler’s great-aunt and cousin spoke to the media, saying: “We hoped and prayed today would come. There are no words to express our relief and gratitude that Abigail is safe and coming home … Today’s release proves that it’s possible. We can get all hostages back home. We have to keep pushing.”
US president Joe Biden spoke with members of Edan’s family on the phone, later telling the press, “Thank God she’s home. I wish I were there to hold her.”
“What she endured is unthinkable.”
“[The families] have endured a terrible ordeal,” Biden said, adding they could now begin the “long journey toward healing.”
“Nothing is guaranteed and nothing is being taken for granted. But the proof that this is working and worth pursuing further is in every smile and every grateful tear we see on the faces of those families who are finally getting back together again. The proof is little Abigail.”
Other hostages who were released include 84-year old Elma Avraham, 38-year old Adi Shoham along with her two young children, and Shoham’s aunt Sharon Avigdori and her 12-year old daughter.
21-year-old Maya Regev has also been released. She and her brother were attending the Nova music festival in southern Israel when they were kidnapped by Hamas militants.
Regev’s mother released a statement, saying she was “…so excited and happy that Maya is on her way to us now.”
“Nonetheless, my heart is split because my son Itay is still in Hamas captivity in Gaza.”
Siblings Noam Or, 16 and Alma, 13, were also released over the weekend.
The children’s uncle Ahal Besorai told the Guardian they were not aware their mother had been killed on the October 7 attacks.
“Unfortunately, they were not aware that my sister, their mum, was murdered,” he said.
“Suddenly they come to see their loved ones for the first time in 50 days and the first piece of news that they are confronted with is that their mum is no longer alive. I think it was very traumatic, there were a lot of tears, a lot of pain.”
Almost 200 hostages remain in Hamas’ captivity. On Saturday, on the second day of the ceasefire, up to 100,000 demonstrators gathered in Tel Aviv to protest for the release of all hostages held by Hamas.
In Sydney, a large crowd from the Jewish community gathered in Martin Place for the same purpose.
Palestinian prisoners released
The deal to exchange hostages for prisoners between Hamas and Israel saw 39 Palestinian prisoners released over the weekend. They included women and children.
Among the freed prisoners were two women who were held after being convicted of violent attacks.
Across the West Bank, families of those detained by Israel waited anxiously for the news that their loved ones may be released.
One teenager, named Asir, was detained by Israeli forces a fortnight ago after approaching an Israeli checkpoint waving a Hamas flag. The 17-year old was shot in the leg.
Asir’s father told the Guardian his daughter should be freed.
“We are not a political family,” Usama Shahadeh said. “She doesn’t know Hamas from hummus. She’s just a headstrong teenager. We are hoping her name will be put on the list. Today, tomorrow, the next day, we just want to see her home.”
Another Palestinian female, Israa Jaabis, was also freed on Saturday. The 38-year-old mother has been locked up since 2015 after the vehicle she was in exploded near a checkpoint in the West Bank.
Israeli authorities accused Jaabis of attempting to detonate a bomb, while Jaabis and her family said the fire was caused by a faulty engine. Jaabis suffered first and third-degree burns on 60 percent of her body and in 2017, she was sentenced to 11 years in prison on charges of attempted murder.
Upon her release over the weekend, Jaabis greeted her family with hugs and tears.
“Thank God. My pain is visible, no need to speak about it,” she said. “I also have pain on an emotional level and I am missing my relatives. But this is the tax a prisoner pays.”
The four-day truce has halted the violent combat between Israel and Hamas which began on October 7, when Hamas killed 1,200 people and took 240 hostages.
Since then, more than 14,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli’s bombardment of Gaza, while more than 200 West Bank Palestinians have been killed by Israeli troops or settlers, according to data from the UN.
A further exchange of hostages for prisoners is expected to occur today — the last day of the cease-fire, which the US hopes will be extended beyond today. During an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the length of the ceasefire will depend on Hamas.
“Hamas is going to make the decision about whether they’re prepared to release another 10 hostages. Israel has put its cards on the table. They’re prepared to extend the pause in the fighting,” Sullivan said.
“So the ball is in Hamas’ court. Will Hamas step up and release another 10 hostages? If they won’t, then they’re the ones choosing to bring an end to the pause in fighting, not Israel.”
According to Amnesty International, Israeli forces have arrested more than 2,200 Palestinian men and women since the October 7 Hamas attacks.
They have also found evidence that indicate “some of the forms of torture and other ill-treatment prisoners have been subjected to by Israeli forces over the past four weeks”, including “severe beatings and humiliation of detainees, including by forcing them to keep their heads down, to kneel on the floor during inmate count, and to sing Israeli songs.”
Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa regional director, Heba Morayef said in a statement: “Over the last month we have witnessed a significant spike in Israel’s use of administrative detention – detention without charge or trial that can be renewed indefinitely – which was already at a 20-year high before the latest escalation in hostilities on 7 October. Administrative detention is one of the key tools through which Israel has enforced its system of apartheid against Palestinians.”
Over the weekend in Sydney, Melbourne and other capital cities across the country, protesters continued to gather to show their support for the plight of Palestinians. It comes after thousands of high school students in Melbourne and Sydney skipped school last Friday to protest Israel’s bombardment of Gaza.