Hamas freed 17 more hostages on Sunday, including nine children and an 84-year-old mother of five, who Israel said is in life-threatening condition.
Sunday’s group of 14 Israeli citizens and three Thai citizens brings to 58 the total of those released since the four-day ceasefire with Israel began on Thursday.
Among those freed was the first U.S. citizen freed during the ceasefire: a girl who served 4 years in captivity and whose parents were killed by the terrorist group during its Oct. 7 attack on Israel.
A Russian-Israeli was also released, the first adult Israeli man released during the ceasefire. He was working as a sound engineer at the Tribe of Nova music festival when it was overwhelmed by Hamas.
In exchange for the hostages, Israel agreed to hand over dozens of Palestinian prisoners and send truckloads of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
The ceasefire agreement allowed Hamas to extend the truce by one day for every 10 additional hostages released.
These are the 14 Israelis released on Sunday:
Abigail Mor Edan turned 4 while held captive after Hamas murdered her parents.
Abigail Mor Edan, 4 years old
Little Abigail turned 4 on Friday while she was held hostage by Hamas, the terrorist group that murdered her parents and left her an orphan during its Oct. 7 attack on Israel.
Abigail, a dual US-Israeli citizen, is the first American hostage freed by Hamas.
Her father, Roy Edan, 43, was trying to protect her in his arms when the terrorists shot him dead along with her mother, Smadar Edan, 38.
Abigail’s older brothers, ages 6 and 9, witnessed the murders and thought their younger sister had also died. They managed to hide for the rest of the massacre and escape to safety.
But Abigail survived and, covered in her father’s blood, crawled out from under his body and sought refuge in a neighbor’s house before being taken hostage.
Alma Avraham, 84, was rushed to hospital in critical condition after being released on Sunday.
Alma Avraham, 84 years old
Avraham was airlifted to an Israeli hospital in critical condition immediately after her release, the Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba confirmed, according to the Jerusalem Post.
It’s unclear exactly what the emergency is, but Israeli officials previously confirmed that he suffers from a heart condition that requires a constant regimen of medication to control, Ynet reported.
A mother of five, the elderly Avraham was home alone on the morning of October 7 when terrorists invaded Nahal Oz.
She hid in the safe room of her home while asking her family for help, but the door was too heavy to close and she was captured, according to the Times of Israel.
Aviva Siegl, 62, was kidnapped along with her husband Keith, 64.VIA REUTERS
Aviva Adrienne Siegel, 62 years old
Siegel, a South African-born mother and kindergarten teacher, was kidnapped along with her husband, 64-year-old North Carolina-born Keith Siegel.
As a teacher, Siegel dedicated her career to teaching children of Jewish and Arab origin, according to the Jerusalem Post.
The couple has lived together in Israel for decades.
Her husband remains held captive by Hamas.
Ron Krivoi, 25, is the first adult Israeli hostage freed by Hamas since October 7.
Ron Krivoi, 25 years old
Krivoi was working as a sound engineer at the Tribe of Nova music festival when Hamas terrorists invaded the event on October 7, indiscriminately killing and taking revelers hostage as they fled.
A Russian-Israeli nationalist, Krivoi’s release was achieved with the help of the Russian government, which appears sympathetic to the Palestinian cause.
He worked construction on the side to support his long-term goal of working in the music business full time, according to the New York Times.
Krivoi is the first adult Israeli hostage freed by Hamas.
Hagar Brodetz, 40, and her daughter Ofri Brodetz, 10, were freed by Hamas on Sunday after weeks of captivity. Oriya Brodetz, 8, and her little brother Yuval, 4, were released Sunday. Her father has been advocating for her release.
Hagar, Ofri, Yuval and Oriya Brodetz
Hagar Brodetz, 40, stayed home with her three children, Ofri, 10, Yuval, 8, and Oriya, 4, while her husband Avichai Brodutch, 42, ran into the fray. morning of October 7 to help defend their kibbutz from Hamas Terrorists.
The father survived but returned home to discover that his family was gone.
Hagar was known as a leader in her community before she was massacred. She is good with numbers and would often help her neighbors organize her finances. She also likes to bake French pastries.
Before being taken hostage, Ofri loved playing the guitar and listening to rock and roll. Yuval couldn’t get enough of playing Minecraft with his friends, and Oriya had a special ability to leave trails of mud all over the house while playing with her truck.
Chen Goldstein-Amog, 48, and her daughter Agam, 17, were freed on Sunday. Tal and Gal Goldstein-Amog, ages 9 and 11, were also released.
Chen, Agam, Gal and Tal Goldstein-Almog
Four of the Goldstein-Almogs, a family of six, were taken hostage by Hamas on October 7. The other two, father and husband Nadav, 48, and his eldest daughter Yam, 20, were killed in the fighting.
Nadav was using crutches due to an athletic injury when he died, and Yam was serving in the Israel Defense Forces.
Chen, 48, and his three surviving children, Agam, 17, Gal, 11, and Tal, 9, were kidnapped by terrorists and taken captive in Gaza.
October 7 was not the first time the Goldstein Almogs were devastated by terrorist violence: In October 2003, five members of their family were killed in a terrorist attack in Haifa, according to the Times.
Sisters Dafna and Ela Elyakim, ages 15 and 8, were kidnapped by Hamas after terrorists livestreamed the murder of their father, and the sisters have just been released.
Dafna and Ela Elyakim
Sisters Dafna and Ela Elykim, ages 15 and 8, were at their father Noam’s home in Niz Oz on October 7 when Hamas terrorists broke into the house while livestreaming the attack on Facebook Live.
Noam was mortally wounded when he was shot in the leg, and Dafna was filmed crying for him in the Facebook video, according to the Times of Israel. He later died along with his girlfriend and his son.
After the girls were taken hostage, their mother and Noam’s ex-wife, Maayan Zin, pleaded with President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to send her to Gaza to be with them in captivity.
“Put me in Gaza. I’ll be hostage 243. If only he could hold them and tell them everything would be okay. Hug them and tell them mom is here; No matter what, mom is here,” he pleaded in an emotional video posted on X in early November.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn