From the Liveblog of
Saturday, January 25, 2025
Family and friends of released hostages express elation at return of ‘heroic, amazing’ female soldiers freed by Hamas
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The friends and families of the four released hostages express their joy that Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Albag are on their way back to Israel.
“Yes! Yes! Yes! Liri the hero,” Albag’s friends tell the Ynet news site. “We saw Liri coming back. She waved her hand and she seems fine. It’s crazy. We were really worried, but she’s a hero with a huge smile.”
Gilboa’s family tells Channel 12 news that they were elated to see her walk out of the Hamas vehicle.
“She is a hero. We were so happy to see her on her feet,” they say.
One of Levy’s friends tells Ynet that the four women were “amazing” and that they had been concerned that they would not be on their feet.
“I have no words to describe the feelings now to see Naama back on her feet along with three other amazing, heroic girls,” the unnamed friend says.
“We don’t know what she went through there, and we can only imagine the hell. I thought the worst, I dreamed that she was coming out in the worst possible condition, sitting or lying down or worse,” the friend says.
Female surveillance soldier Agam Berger remains in Hamas captivity. The five women were abducted from the Nahal Oz base on October 7.
The Times of Israel Community.