“In Gaza I was held prisoner in an UNRWA structure (UN agency for the Palestinians) and despite being injured I have not received medical care ». He said it in a telephone conversation with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the former Anglo-Israeli hostage Emily Damarifreed in recent days from Hamas.
The point on the other hostages
Saturday is another day of joy for those who come home, for families. For three hostages men, civilians and in life, 484 endless days of imprisonment end up in the hands of the terrorists in Gaza. In return, according to Hamas information, nine Palestinian prisoners will be released that are serving life sentences and other 81 sentenced to long prison penalties. But the tragedy is behind the door. Because the Israeli kidnappeds that will be freed are Yarden Bibas, Ofer Calderon and Keith Siegel. And Yarden, 35 years old as a prisoner, is the father of the two children with red hair Kfir and Ariel, 2 and 5 years old, and Shiri’s husband, first in the list of the agreement signed in Doha to have to be released, but of which The traces have been lost. And that Hamas declared dead in an Israeli bombing already in November 2023, when he did not deliver them to the Red Cross during the first ceased the fire. «Our Yarden should return tomorrow and we are so excited … but Shiri and children have not yet returned. Emotions are conflicting and we are facing complex days. Please protect Yarden’s heart. We love you, dear people of Israel and our fantastic supporters all over the world, “relatives on Instagram wrote today.
The drama of this family lies in these delicate words. Shiri and children were taken hostage by Hamas from their home in Nir Oz’s Kibbutz, their photos are upholsing out the cities of Israel. Their faces are impressed “in the psyche of the whole country and in those who share these feelings”, the media wrote. In the video shot by the terrorists during the kidnapping, the mother kept her little ones in her arms, lost, in shock. Subsequently, another movie recovered from the IDF showed them on a road to Khan Youunis, in the south of the strip, surrounded by militants.
Yarden was seized separately, brought to Gaza by motorcycle. Upon arrival, he was attacked by a crowd of civilians who hit him in his head with a stone, as shown by the clip posted on Telegram by someone in the enclave. Hamas subsequently spread a video in which the father was informed live of the death of his loved ones. Last week the Idf spokesman Daniel Hagari expressed “serious concerns about the fate of the mother and children”. Four days ago Israel asked Hamas to provide certain news about them.
This is why Shabbat will also return home Ofer Calderon, 54 years old, taken away from Kibbutz himself where over 100 residents and 15 foreign agricultural laborers have been killed, 80 kidnapped. Calderon, together with two of his children, Erez (12 years old) and Sahar (16), were dragged to Gaza on October 7th. The boys were released during the November truce two years ago. The grandmother and a nephew were killed on the street by terrorists, their bodies were found on October 19th.
Keith Siegel, 65 years old, Israelo-American citizen, was instead kidnapped together with his wife Aviva in Kfar Aza’s Kibbutz, where numerous residents were killed and burnt houses. Aviva was released on November 26, 2023 The IDF believes that Hamas releases hostages in the early hours of tomorrow, in different locations in Gaza. After the liberation of Yarden, Ofer and Keith, 82 kidnapped prisoners are still prisoners, 23 of which should be released in the next rounds. Of 23, 15 are alive and eight deceased. The living will return before the return of the bodies.
Meanwhile, tomorrow Jerusalem should reopen the Rafah pass, between the strip and Egypt, for the evacuation of the injured, the greatest of whom are members of Hamas. 50 Palestinians wounded every day should pass through the Egyptian territory, as well as three companions for each one. If Hamas wants to transfer children who need care in addition to this number it will be possible to do so by asking for approval, Israel will not oppose. The high representative for foreign policy Kaja Kallas has announced that the EU has resumed its mission to monitor the Rafah border pass: EU vehicles have already been photographed on the spot.