From the Liveblog of
Sunday, April 14, 2024
UNICEF chief meets with hostages’ families, says she’s called for their release since Oct. 7
Jessica Steinberg, The Times of Israel's culture and lifestyles editor, covers the Sabra scene from south to north and back to the center
Caroline Russell, executive director of UNICEF, the United Nations emergency fund for children, meets in Israel for the first time with several hostage family members, including a cousin of hostage Yarden Bibas; Batsheva Yahalomi, whose son Eitan, was held hostage and whose husband, Ohad, is still a captive; Adi Shoham, who was held hostage with her young children and whose husband, Tal Shoham, is still a captive; and the aunt of 4-year-old Avigail Idan, whose parents were killed as she was taken hostage to Gaza with the neighbors.
This is Russell’s first visit to Israel following the devastating Hamas attack of October 7, a trip arranged by Israel’s Foreign Ministry. She visited Gaza in mid-November but was injured in a car accident in Egypt and had to postpone her visit to Israel.
The family members speak at length about their difficult experiences, asking Russell to make a statement about the release of the hostages, emphasizing the Bibas family — Yarden, his wife Shiri and their two young children, Ariel, 4, and Kfir, 1.
Russell says she has been calling for the unconditional release of all the abductees since October 7.
The UNICEF chief will also meet with President Isaac Herzog and his wife, Michal Herzog, will speak with organizations working on the hostage issue and will visit Schneider Medical Center, which treated many of the children who returned from Hamas captivity.
