Israel-Hamas War: Israel faces a decision on what to do after the end of the truce

Here’s what we know about the Israelis released on Saturday. (Read about the Israeli hostages who have already been released here.)

Shoshan Haran, 67

Shoshan Haran was taken hostage by Kibbutz Be’eri, along with another six members of her extended family. Her husband, Avshalom Haran, was killed in the October 7 attack, as were her sister, Lilach Kipnis, a psychologist and peace activist, and her husband, Evyatar Kipnis, 65.

The body of Mr Kipnis’ caretaker, Paul Castelvi, was found in a nearby forest.

The extended family, all residents of Be’eri, had been celebrating the Jewish holiday of Sukkot at Mrs. Haran’s home when the village was hit. Several members of the family were considered missing for days and weeks before being identified as among the dead or abducted.

Shoshan Haran has Israeli and German citizenship. A crop protection expert with a PhD in agronomy, she worked for many years in the seed industry and then founded Fair Planet, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping small farms in developing countries.

Adi Shoham, 38; Nave, 8; Yep, 3

Adi Shoham, the daughter of Shoshan Haran and a resident of Be’eri, was released with her son, Naveh, 8, and her daughter, Yahel, 3. Her husband, Tal Shoham, 38, remains in captivity.

Ms. Shoham, a psychologist, has worked in recent years to promote mindfulness as a means of relieving the stress of residents of southern Israel, who have lived under the threat of rocket fire from Gaza for more than two decades.

Yuval Haran, 36, Adi Shoham’s brother and Shoshan Haran’s son, was away from the kibbutz on October 7 and became the voice of his imprisoned family. He belonged to the vanguard of a five-day march this month from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

“I’m tired of sitting around,” he said. “I want to walk to the place where the decisions are made.”

Sharon Avigdori, 52; Noam Avigdori, 12

Sharon Aviddori, a sister of Avshalom Haran and a drama therapist, was visiting her family in Be’eri with her daughter Noam Aviddori when they were arrested.

Sharon Aviddori works with people on the autism spectrum and lives in Hod Hasharon, central Israel. Her husband, Hen Aviddori, and their son Omer, 16, had stayed home that weekend.

Mr Aviddori, a television writer, told The Jerusalem Post this month that he was “a man on a mission” to bring back his wife and daughter. He said his wife’s work “changes the world.”

He described his daughter as a young socialite and a top student. “She loves learning, she’s hilarious, she has a very sarcastic sense of humor, she cracks me up,” he said.

Emily Hand, 9

Emily Hand, an Irish Israeli, was kidnapped during a sleepover at a friend’s house in Kibbutz Be’eri and turned 9 while he was in captivity.

Her family initially believed she was killed in the attack but was later told she had been kidnapped. Her older sister, Natalie Hand, told Israel’s Channel 12 that the family had cried for Emily when they heard she had been killed.

“We were told she had been murdered; we were in mourning,” she said. Then, on October 31, “they told us it was very likely she had been kidnapped.”

Speaking at a press conference Recently, her father, Thomas Hand, said at the Israeli embassy in London: “I’m going to do everything I can for my own daughter, and hopefully that will help the rest of us too.”

The Irish President met Mr. Hand the past weeks.

Maya Regev, 21

Maya Regev was at the Tribe of Nova music festival on October 7 when Hamas attackers infiltrated Israel and massacred hundreds of young festival-goers. It is believed that her brother Itay, with whom she attended the festival, is still being held in Gaza.

Their father, Ilan Regev Derby, described in October haunted by the last conversation he had with Mrs. Regev, which he recorded on his phone. She called as the gunmen approached.

In one Hamas video, Itay is shown alive in the back of a pickup truck with his hands tied. Another friend they attended the festival with, Omer Shem Tov, is also believed to still be held in Gaza.

Mirit Regev, Maya’s mother, expressed the mixed feelings of many families in a statement on Sunday:

“I am excited and happy that Maya is on her way to us now. Nevertheless, my heart is divided because my son, Itay, is still in Hamas captivity in Gaza,” she said, adding, “I am going to hug Maya so hard. We will not stop until Itay and all the hostages are back home.”

Alma Or, 13; Noam Or, 17

Alma Or and Noam Or were kidnapped on October 7 from their home in Be’eri, a kibbutz near the Gaza border. They were taken hostage along with their father, Dror, who is believed to still be held in Gaza.

Their mother, Yonat, was one of dozens killed in Kibbutz Be’eri.

Hila Rotem Shoshani, 12

Hila Rotem Shoshani hid in her family’s safe room with her mother, Raaya, on the morning of October 7, before they were kidnapped from their home in Kibbutz Be’eri, according to The Times of Israel.

The newspaper reported that Raaya, who is believed to still be held in Gaza, texted her brother around noon saying she and her daughter were being taken. It was the last time anyone heard from her. Their family was informed on October 29 that the mother and daughter were being held captive.

Noga Weiss, 18; Shiri Weiss, 53

Shiri Weiss and Noga Weiss, mother and daughter, were kidnapped from Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7.

Noga hid under a bed when she texted the family group chat that her mother had been taken from their safe room, her second cousin, Oren Rubinstein, said at a meeting in the San Francisco area on Nov. 4.

Noga fled her home, which was engulfed in flames, and tried to hide outside in nearby bushes, Mr. Rubinstein said. The last her family heard from her was a text: “They’re coming.”

Her family was able to track her live location via WhatsApp when she moved to Gaza, he said.

Mr. Rubinstein has demanded their release at rallies in the San Francisco area, where he lives.

“This is a nightmare,” he said at the meeting, which was recorded and posted on YouTube by Unxeptable, an organization founded by Israeli citizens in 2020 to protest their country’s right-wing government.

“And we must remember: we must support whoever is going to bring them home. The IDF is going to take them home; the American Special Forces are going to bring them home.”

Shiri’s husband, Ilan Weiss, left their home on the morning of October 7 to join an emergency crew, according to The Times of Israel, and is still considered missing. According to the kibbutz government, Shiri’s brother Gil – a member of the local civilian emergency response team – was killed during the battle for Be’eri.

Jeffrey Gettleman reporting contributed.