The families of the three Israeli hostages released Saturday have spoken out about their loved ones’ ordeal in Hamas captivity, saying they hope their suffering provides impetus to efforts to free all those still in Gaza as soon as possible.
Ohad Ben Ami, Eli Sharabi and Or Levy appeared gaunt and frail as they were paraded by the militants on a makeshift stage in Gaza before they were handed over to the Red Cross.
Their appearance was condemned as “shocking” by Israel, which has said the scenes will “not go unaddressed.”
‘Nothing prepared me for those pictures’
Ella Ben Ami, daughter of Ohad, spoke of her horror at watching Hamas parade her father on the stage.
“I had many pictures in my mind of my dad, but nothing prepared me for those pictures of him on that stage in Gaza. I was sure that I would be strong, but I fell on the floor and screamed, ‘I’m sorry,’” she said.
Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, Ella Ben Ami said her father “went through hell” in Gaza and noted that the remaining Israeli hostages are suffering the same conditions her father did.
She called on the Israeli government and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “find a way” to bring them all home.
“We have to keep going to Phase B, and have to bring everybody back,” she said referring to the second phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal, which is supposed to see the return of the remaining hostages and was expected to be discussed in a “a security-political cabinet meeting” held by Netanyahu this weekend.
‘He wasn’t the same Or’
Or Levy’s brother Michael said when he saw his brother on Saturday for the first time in 16 months, he wasn’t the same person who left home on October 7, 2023.
“He came back in poor physical condition. Anyone who saw the pictures and videos couldn’t ignore it. For 16 months, he was hungry, barefoot and in constant fear that every day can be his last,” Michael said, according to the Hostages Families Forum Headquarters.
After his release, Or received the heartbreaking news that his wife Einav had been killed in the October 7 attack.
“The hardest blow was yesterday when Or discovered that Einav, the love of his life, was murdered on that terrible day. For 491 days, he held onto hope that he would return to her,” Michael said.
He went on to call for the immediate release of the remaining hostages, saying, “Or’s return is a miracle, but we can’t rest until every single one of them is back with their families.”
‘Every second could save lives’
Eli Sharabi’s brother Sharon described the return of the three hostages as a victory for the Israeli people but said the government must work with a sense of urgency to save the other hostages, the Hostages Families Forum Headquarters said.
Yossi, another brother in the family, was also taken hostage by Hamas but he subsequently died in Gaza.
“Every moment that passes, every second could save lives from Hamas tunnels, from this cruel enemy that has massacred us since October 7,” Sharon said.
Hamas has now released a total of 16 Israeli hostages as part of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, of a total of 33 promised at staggered intervals during this stage. Eight of those 33 are dead, according to the Israeli government.
Following the release of the three hostages on Saturday, Hamas and its allies still hold a total of 73 people taken from Israel on October 7, 2023, of 251 initially taken. Three additional hostages, held captive since 2014, are still in Gaza.