An American evacuates to Egypt: ‘Let’s just hope we make it.’
As the Israeli government in Gaza battles to eliminate Hamas, many people whose loved ones were kidnapped in Israel’s Oct. 7 attack worry that the intensified fighting will put the hostages in further danger.
World leaders and activists have done just that pressure increased to release the hostages. On Friday, Israeli officials revised the number of hostages from 242 to 241, a number that Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari said fluctuates based on Israeli intelligence. The hostages come from more than forty countries. Being among them more than 30 children; more than a dozen people in their sixties, seventies and eighties; And people suffering from medical conditions.
Jon Polin’s 23-year-old son, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, is said to be among the hostages. Mr. Polin said he would have preferred if the government had exhausted all other options to release his son and the other hostages before the Israeli army invaded, but he also admitted that he would probably feel differently if his son were not was kidnapped on October 7. .
On that day, Hersh Goldberg-Polin was at a music festival. When Hamas militants arrived, he lost part of his arm to a grenade blast, an injury documented in a video of him being loaded into a Hamas truck.
“I understand the Israeli government’s feeling that we need to take action against Hamas,” Jon Polin said, but added: “The best option for everyone in the world is for a diplomatic, humanitarian release of all hostages.”
Daniel Lifshitz’s grandmother Yocheved Lifshitz, 85, was one of four hostages released by Hamas. But his joy at being reunited with her was quickly overshadowed by concern for his grandfather Oded Lifshitz, 83, who is still believed to be in custody.
The couple, both peace activists from Nir Oz, a kibbutz near the Gaza border, were kidnapped when their community was overrun by the attacks.
Since Israel began sending ground troops into Gaza on Friday, Mr. Lifshitz’s fears for his grandfather have increased. “I don’t see any justification for how an act of war could help the hostages,” he said, worrying that “it would make things much more difficult.”
Mr. Lifshitz said he would prefer the government to take responsibility for its Oct. 7 failures, put more pressure on Qatar to negotiate the release of the hostages, and “take any deal that table would come would accept,” regardless of the cost.
The families of the hostages hold protests almost every day. In Tel Aviv on Thursday, dozens of survivors of the October 7 attack sat silently in a central square, wearing red blindfolds and their hands bound with plastic wristbands, as part of a campaign to keep the fate of the hostages in the public eye. .
Limited progress has been made in securing the hostages’ freedom. Two were released by Hamas on October 20 And two on October 23 after negotiations mediated by Qatar. A fifth hostage, a soldier, was rescued by Israeli forces during a special operation on Monday. According to the Israeli armyOne of the objectives of the ground activities in Gaza is to help rescue the hostages.
Yehuda Beinin — whose daughter Liat Beinin Atzili and son-in-law Aviv Atzili, both 49, are believed to be hostages — returned this week from a visit to the United States to speak to lawmakers and others about the hostage crisis.
Mr. Beinin said he strongly believed that “Israel must complete its mission: destroying Hamas and everything related to it.” While he said he did not know enough to say whether the ground invasion would help return his relatives, he trusted that the United States was advising Israel to reduce civilian casualties, which “could otherwise complicate the hostage situation.”
It’s been almost a month since most families have heard from loved ones who disappeared on October 7. “Unfortunately, the clock is ticking,” Mr. Lifshitz said. As the war escalates, he said he “pleads for restraint and caution” and that he hopes “both sides do everything they can to release the hostages.”
Isabel Kershner contributed reporting from Tel Aviv.