Yesterday 3 more Israelis got to come home, released hostages of Hamas.
Ohad BenAmi was kidnapped with his wife Raz from their home in Kibbutz Be'eri on October 7. Raz was released in November of 2023 in the first ceasefire agreement and with their children, had been fighting for Ohad's release. Kibbutz Be'eri was one of the hardest hit communities in the south. 101 civilians we're murdered, along with 31 security personnel. 32 kibbutz members were taken hostage by Hamas. Including Ohad, who was famously seen being dragged from his home in his boxers with his wife Raz. 10% of the farming community's residents were murdered that day.
Or Levy was kidnapped from "the death bunker" at the Nova Music Festival along with Hersh Goldberg Polin, Alon Ohel and Eliya Cohen, while his wife Einav died there in the bunker with 16 other people. Only 7 survived the bunker. Or and Einav's 2 year old son, Almoog had stayed with his grandparents for the night. Almoog turned 3 while Or was in captivity. It's reported that Almoog's first words to his father Or were, "it took you a long time to come back." 💔 Or only learned of Einav's death upon his return to Israel.
Eli Sharabi, also from Kibbutz Be'eri, was taken with his brother Yossi. His wife Lianne, and his daughters Noiya and Yahel were murdered in their home's safe room. His family dog was even murdered. Eli did not know the fate of his family and during Hamas' cruel hostage turn over ceremony, was forced to announce that he was thankful to soon be reunited with his family. 💔
Like salt on a fresh wound, the Red Cross' taxi drivers casually told the newly released hostages about their family's heartbreaking fate.
The psychological torture, starvation, lack of medicine, sunlight, and basic sanitary conditions unmet showed as these three gaunt shells of human beings, barely able to walk were paraded like war trophies. The three men look like photos of Jews liberated from Auschwitz 80 years ago in January of 1945.
Skeletons.
Gray skin.
Dark and sunken eyes.
Barely recognizable.
I can't help thinking about Shiri Bibas and her boys Ariel and Kfir. If, by some miracle, they are somehow still alive... I can't imagine the state we will see them in. Each week of the ceasefire-hostages-releases shows progressively worse and worse physical conditions upon the hostages' return.
Yarden Bibas. I don't know him, but like many Israelis I feel like I know him. I feel like I can hear him screaming out to the heavens for Shiri and his children.
A scream that shatters the curtains between heaven and Earth. One from the depths of pain and agony to the Creator above.
Where are they?!
How many more tortured Jewish bodies and souls must we endure?
How much more heartbreak?
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