A pair of Israeli siblings have been released by Hamas after 50 days of captivity came forward this weekend and were faced with a new nightmare when they learned that their mother had been massacred by the terrorists, while their father is still missing.
Noam and Alma Or, aged 16 and 13, are two of 58 hostages released so far under a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
They were greeted by cheerful grandparents and their older brother Yali, 18, before undergoing medical checks after their lengthy captivity.
But the teenagers’ elation at regaining their freedom quickly faded when they were informed by their uncle, Ahal Besorai, that their mother Yonat had been shot by Hamas attackers in Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7.
Besorai, a British-Israeli lawyer, said this The guard how the children were devastated when they heard their mother’s fate.
“Unfortunately, they didn’t know that my sister, their mother, had been murdered,” he said.
‘Suddenly they come to visit their loved ones for the first time in fifty days and the first news they are confronted with is that their mother is no longer alive. I think it was very traumatic, there were a lot of tears, a lot of pain.”
Noam and Alma Or, aged 16 and 13, are two of 58 hostages released so far under a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas
Dror Or and Yonat Or are depicted in this undated photo. Yonat was killed by Hamas attackers during the October 7 massacre – Dror remains missing, suspected kidnapped
The Or family is depicted in this undated photo
Yonat Or, her husband Dror and their teenage daughter Alma, 13
As they hugged each other in the hospital, the family learned for the first time the horrific details of the siblings’ separation from their parents during the attack on Kibbutz Be’eri.
Speaking to their uncle via Zoom, the children told Besorai that they were hiding in a safe room when the attack unfolded, but were forced to escape when Hamas gunmen set their house on fire.
They jumped out of a window and took refuge elsewhere, but were spotted by Hamas attackers and dragged into a stolen car before being kidnapped and driven to Gaza.
There they were kept in a single room for fifty days, keeping only each other’s company and that of another woman, with whom Noam and Alma said they formed a close bond. The trio supported each other in difficult moments, Besorai said.
“They were held together with another lady. I know who she is and they left her behind, they didn’t release her, so she’s alone in that godforsaken place now,” he added.
‘I think they smuggled the children into the toilets so she wouldn’t know they were being released. Then they taped up the children’s eyes and took them in their car to wherever they wanted to hand them over. the Red Cross.’
Besorai then told the siblings that the gunmen did not spare Yonat and shot her in cold blood as she tried to hide.
The fate of their father, Dror, is still unknown: he is missing, probably kidnapped.
Besorai talked about how seeing his niece and nephew released and safe in an Israeli hospital brought him to tears.
“The first image of Alma on the screen was her bright, sparkling eyes and big smile. She’s clearly lost weight and looks much, much slimmer, but her beautiful smile and sparkling eyes warm your heart, so I started crying.”
He added: ‘Noam was very chatty and wanted to share something. He shared some personal things he was going through – maybe talking about it for the first time with someone who loves and cares for him will help him heal.”
Yonat Or was shot by Hamas attackers in Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7
Mourners attend Yonat Or’s funeral at Palmachim Cemetery on October 29, 2023 in Kibbutz Palmachin, Israel. Ms. Or was killed in the attacks on Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7
Thomas Hand, father of Hamas hostage Emily Hand, said his nine-year-old daughter has “lost a lot of weight” after finally being reunited with her family on Saturday
Emily is reunited with her father, while Hila Rotem (second from left), whose mother is still held hostage, reunites with a family member
While some hostages, like Noam and Alma, are forced to face a new reality in which their parents are dead or kidnapped, others were fortunate enough to be reunited with their families.
The father of Hamas hostage Emily Hand said his nine-year-old daughter “lost a lot of weight” but said she “gained it back in one go.”
Thomas Hand, 63, said he hoped Emily – who spent her ninth birthday in Gaza’s terror tunnels – will recover physically and mentally from the torment of 50 days in captivity.
Emily’s father told The Sun: ‘We got Emily back from the hands of the Gazan terrorists.
“She has lost a lot of weight from her face and body, but overall she is doing better than we expected.”
Footage shared last week shows Emily running into her father’s arms before they share an emotional embrace. Mr Hand later revealed he had been too scared to hug her tightly given her weight loss, but promised to throw her the ‘biggest birthday party ever’.
Speaking to The Mirror ahead of his daughter’s release, Mr Hand said: ‘We have waited far too long for this moment. Every day has been a long and painful nightmare. My Emily finally comes home, broken but whole.”
After her release, her family added in a statement: “Emily has returned to us. We can’t find the words to describe our emotions after 50 challenging and complicated days.
“We are overjoyed to hug Emily again, but at the same time we remember all the hostages who have yet to return.
‘We would like to express our gratitude to everyone who has helped and supported us over the past 50 days leading up to Emily’s return.
“We appreciate the continued support as we continue our efforts for everyone’s safe return.”