From the Liveblog of
Friday, August 23, 2024
Former Hamas hostage: ‘Netanyahu looked me in the eyes, said he’d do everything to bring my only son home’
Israelis who were released from Hamas captivity and whose relatives have been held by terrorists in Gaza since October 7 met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier today, telling reporters after the meeting that the premier had promised to do everything possible to free the remaining abductees.
“We had a long meeting with the prime minister. We shared all our pain, and I hope we found a listening ear. Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu looked me in the eyes and said he would do everything to bring my only son and all our loved ones home alive,” says Yelena Trufanova, who was released from Hamas captivity on November 29 at the request of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
She was kidnapped along with her 73-year-old mother Irena Tati and son Sasha from their home on Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7. Her husband Vitaly was murdered during the rampage and Sasha is still being held hostage in Gaza.
“I left this meeting with a bit more hope than when I entered, and I hope to see my son and all the hostages returning home soon,” she adds.
Yocheved Lifshitz, who was also kidnapped from Nir Oz on October 7 and whose husband Oded is still held in Gaza, tells reporters that Netanyahu “had no answer” when asked why security forces were slow to respond when thousands of terrorists burst across the border into Israel by land, air and sea, killing some 1,200 people and seizing 251 hostages, mostly civilians, amid acts of brutality and sexual assault.
“Nir Oz was hell. I still haven’t received an answer as to why the IDF neglected us and didn’t arrive. Only after the kidnappers, rapists, and looters finished their work did the IDF arrive. He had no answer for that,” she says.
A military probe since the devastating onslaught reportedly found that the IDF’s Gaza Division failed to understand the situation at the southern kibbutz and did not properly manage forces on the day, sending troops to neighboring communities but not to Nir Oz itself.
Ella Ben Ami, whose mother Raz Ben Ami was freed from Hamas captivity during a week-long truce in November and whose father Ohad is still held in Gaza, says she’s not convinced that the government will be able to close a hostage deal.
“We asked the prime minister to look us in the eyes and promise to do everything, and if it depends on him, not to give up until they return here alive. We received a nod and confirmation from him. We ask the Prime Minister to keep his commitment and bring them home. We understand that this is probably the last opportunity before we enter a large-scale war, and we want to see our loved ones at home,” she tells reporters.
“Personally, I left with a heavy and difficult feeling that this isn’t going to happen soon, and I fear for my father’s life, for the girls who are there, and for everyone. With all the disinformation we hear, we no longer know what’s true and what’s not,” Ben Ami adds.
