'Joy and worry' from hostage families as deal reached

“I need to create a new word to describe this feeling – when joy and worry are intertwined,” said Efrat Machikawa. Her uncle, Gadi Moses, was abducted from his home by Hamas militants on October 7, 2023, an event that caused her deep anxiety.

However, with the agreement between Israel and Hamas on a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages, there is now real hope for his release. Although the agreement should release all hostages held by Hamas in phases, families remain cautious. Ms. Machikawa described her feelings after hearing the news as "controlled optimism," and she described the negotiation process as a "roller coaster."

“We’re almost afraid to breathe,” she added, noting she doesn't know when her uncle will be released. “I believe Gadi will be okay. It will take time, but he will get a warm and slow hug. We will get through this together.” In Tel Aviv, a square often filled with protesters demanding the release of hostages, was empty shortly after the ceasefire and hostage release agreement was announced.

The agreement is expected to be approved by the Israeli cabinet, after which the ceasefire is expected to proceed in three phases. The first phase will last six weeks, and 33 hostages – including women, children, and the elderly – will be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. Negotiations for the second phase – which should release the remaining hostages, see the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, and restore "sustainable calm" – will begin on the 16th day. The third and final phase will involve the reconstruction of Gaza and the return of any remaining hostage remains.

“We actually don’t know anything. It’s terrifying,” said Yosi Schnaider, the cousin of hostage Shiri Bibas, who was kidnapped along with her two children and husband. “We don’t know if they are on the list, if they will come back in the first phase. If they are still alive, and if not,” he added. Yehuda Cohen, the father of Nimrod Cohen, an Israeli soldier kidnapped by Hamas, said: “I have no time to express emotions.” “I can only be Nimrod’s father once Nimrod is back here,” he said. “I haven’t talked to him, seen him, or heard his voice for 15 months… I’m trying to get back to being Nimrod’s father.”

According to BBC verification, of the 251 hostages kidnapped on October 7, 2023, 94 are still being held in Gaza – 60 are believed to be alive and 34 have died. Approximately 109 hostages have been released through negotiations, either for humanitarian reasons or during a temporary ceasefire in November 2023. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) rescued 8 hostages. The IDF found the remains of 40 hostages in Gaza, including three hostages who were accidentally killed by the IDF on December 15, 2023.

Israel launched a campaign to destroy Hamas – which is designated as a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States, and other countries – in response to the unprecedented cross-border attack on October 7, 2023, in which approximately 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage. According to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, more than 46,700 people have been killed in Gaza since then. The majority of the 2.3 million population have also been displaced due to the difficulty in providing aid to those in need, with widespread destruction and severe shortages of food, fuel, medicine, and shelter.

(Additional reporting by George Wright)