From the Liveblog of
Sunday, November 26, 2023
Kfar Aza evacuees erupt in cheers as they spot their neighbors released from Gaza
Carrie Keller-Lynn is a former political and legal correspondent for The Times of Israel
Kfar Aza kibbutz members erupt in cheers at the first glimpses of their neighbors and community members returning from Hamas captivity.
“There she is, look!,” screams an excited man, pointing at a giant screen broadcasting Channel 13’s live feed of ICRC transporting the freed hostages.
Each time a new face is identified, the crowd cheers, with several people clutching their faces until the next hostage is visually confirmed.
Kfar Aza kibbutz members cheering as the first images of tonight’s 14 released Israeli hostages – many of them from the kibbutz – appear on the news
Kfar Aza has largely been evacuated to Shefayim, since Hamas rampaged their homes on Oct 7 pic.twitter.com/4XL0IZeqYu
— Carrie Keller-Lynn (@cjkeller8) November 26, 2023
Families from Kfar Aza say they learned last night that several of their neighbors were scheduled to be released today, and have experienced an emotional rollercoaster capped by joy when the 14 Israeli hostages were confirmed a short while ago to be in Israeli hands.
“We didn’t sleep all night from excitement,” says Meitar Yacobi, 30, who grew up on the kibbutz, in a house sandwiched between the Brodutch and Goldstein families, both of whom have members returning from 51 days of Hamas captivity today.
“No,” she says, she did not trust Hamas to release them as foretold, and “we were worried, we waited until the last minute to see if it would happen.” Her hopes were raised and then periodically dashed, especially following a report that the ICRC did not have complete confidence in today’s hostage transfer.
Yacobi, who is currently staying with her evacuated parents in Tel Aviv, says she came to Shefayim tonight for the solidarity.
“I came to see and to feel with everyone. We’re all feeling the same feelings, here they understand us,” she says.
“I am really, really excited and happy but it’s a happiness that coupled with pain because I have friends who aren’t being freed in this deal,” she adds, saying her “heart breaks” for them.
