Mother of hostage says mediators Qatar, Egypt must be pushed to reach deal

Simona Steinbrecher, the mother of hostage Doron Steinbrecher, says during a Zoom press conference alongside other mothers of captives that the world must push mediators Qatar and Egypt to force a hostage-truce deal to move forward.

“My life stopped on October 7,” says Simona. “I don’t stop to think about me or what I need. I push people until a deal will come because they’ll come home only with a deal. We need to push Qatar and Egypt to make the deal.”

Simona says that “when I go to sleep, I see Doron in my eyes and think about what happens to her and the terrible things that happen there… we cry to all the world to bring them home.”

Dr. Einat Yehene, a psychologist working with the Hostages Families Forum says “we must be ready to adapt comprehensive tailor-made rehabilitation when the hostages return.” Yehene adds that the families of the hostages, who have put their lives on hold for the past nine months, also need assistance: “We must support the families who are gatekeepers to help them in their reintegration into life.”