From the Liveblog of
Sunday, November 26, 2023
Kfar Aza evacuees celebrate release of loved ones, demand rest be freed from Gaza
Carrie Keller-Lynn is a former political and legal correspondent for The Times of Israel
Hundreds of people are crowded into an event hall at Shefayim, waiting with bated breath for news of the latest hostage release.
Most are evacuees from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, home to the majority of the 14 Israeli hostages just released from 51 days of Hamas captivity.
Shachar Tzuk-Bazak, 32, who personally survived the October 7 massacre because she was away on a family vacation, but lost two family members to Hamas, says that she is “overjoyed” that several Kfar Aza residents were freed this evening, but holds the Israeli government and military responsible for both the failure that led to their capture and the failure to return the about 200 hostages remaining in Gaza.
“I’m overjoyed, but with every person being released, there is another person in captivity,” she says, adding that 19 people were kidnapped from Kfar Aza. “Half of them are getting released today and half of them are still in the cold, in the dark.”
Tzur-Barak say that she expects the government to do all in its power to repatriate the remaining hostages. “I hold my government, my military chiefs responsible for their safety,” she says.
The Israeli government says military pressure created conditions for the current truce for hostages and prisoners swap, now in its third day. Tzur-Barak attributes the deal to international diplomatic efforts.
“Yes, I feel that those kids that are being freed today were in many senses left waiting for help that didn’t come” from Israel’s leaders, she says. “The gravitas of worldwide leaders helped to negotiate this deal. My government wasn’t enough, my military wasn’t enough to protect me and this is hard.”
Freed hostages Abigail Idan and Uriah Brodutch, both 4, are also from Kfar Aza. Tzuk-Barak says she wants to thank diplomats “for helping to get my nephew’s friends from kindergarten back.”
