The recent release of Israeli hostages and the initiation of a four-day truce between Israel and Hamas in Gaza elicited a range of emotions in Tel Aviv on Friday. This development also raised hopes for the families of those who are still held in the besieged enclave.
While officials announced the release of 13 Israeli hostages, as well as 10 Thai citizens and a Filipino national by Hamas, a murmur spread through a crowd of hundreds gathered near Tel Aviv’s Museum of Art at a place now known as “Hostages Square.” The atmosphere was filled with anticipation and concern.
Tamar Shamir, a regular at the square, expressed her support for those still in Gaza but emphasized the need for further action, stating, “We’re not happy, we cannot be happy until everyone comes back home,” in an interview with CNN.
The delicate truce involves the gradual release of 50 women and children held in Gaza out of over 200 people abducted by Hamas during an attack on Israel last October. The agreement also includes the release of 150 imprisoned Palestinian women and children held in Israeli jails.
Shamir expressed the heartbreak of thinking about the young hostages, highlighting the potential plight of the children who may return without a parent. “The kids will come back and they won’t have a mom or dad – some are orphans,” she shared.
Israeli-American Michal Feuer shared her conflicting feelings about the situation, expressing the need to release all the hostages while also wanting to “get rid of Hamas” due to the damaging impact of the truce on the ongoing war. She also empathized with Palestinian civilians, acknowledging their innocence and expressing hope for a better future for them.
