Faces of freedom: From the Irish girl who celebrated her ninth birthday in Hamas terror tunnels (but was feared dead by her family) to the siblings taken hostage as their mother was murdered – meet the 13 people whose 50-day captivity hell is finally over
- READ MORE: Hamas finally frees 20 prisoners after delaying release for hours
Nine-year-old Irish girl Emily Hand and 12 other Hamas captives have finally been released after they spent 50 days imprisoned in real-life hell.
Noam, 17, and Alma Or, 13, the siblings who were cruelly taken hostage after the group of terrorists killed their mother, Yonat, were also returned.
Sadly, their father, who was also captured on October 7 by Hamas, has not been freed along with them.
Hostage names revealed through the Hostage and Missing Persons Families Forum, indicate that the terrorist group will release people from just one kibbutz, Be’eri.
Sharon Avigdori, 52, a drama therapist who works with people on the autism spectrum, and her daughter Noam Avigdori, 12, who was about to celebrate her Bat Mitzvah Both were captured from Kibbutz Be’eri.
Hostage names are coming through by the Hostage and Missing Persons Families Forum, and it appears the terrorist group will release people from just one kibbutz, Be’eri
The release of hostages came as part of a temporary cease-fire deal put in place by Qatar and the United States between Hamas and Israel
Noga and Shiri Weiss pictured as they were released from the Hamas terrorist group
Nine-year-old Irish girl Emily Hand (pictured) has been freed as part of a hostage exchange after she was held by Hamas for 50 days
Other hostages released on Saturday night include Maya Regev, 21, Noga Weiss, 53, Shiri Weiss, 18, Shoshan Haran, 67, Adi Shoham, 38, Yahel Shoham, three, Naveh Shoham, eight
Emily Hand, pictured with another hostage as they were released back to their families
Hila Rotem, 13, who managed to escape from her home in Be’eri but was later found in the bushes and taken to Gaza, has also been freed – but her mother is still in captivity.
The other hostages released on Saturday night include Maya Regev, 21, Noga Weiss, 53, Shiri Weiss, 18, Shoshan Haran, 67, Adi Shoham, 38, Yahel Shoham, three, Naveh Shoham, eight.
The release of hostages came as part of a temporary cease-fire deal put in place by Qatar and the United States between Hamas and Israel.
One captive released, Emily, was kidnapped during Hamas’ invasion of Israel on October 7, in which some 240 captives were taken back into Gaza.
She was among at least 30 children believed to be still held in the besieged enclave.
Thomas Hand, father of nine-year-old Emily Hand, cries during a press conference by families of hostages at the embassy of Israel in London on November 20, 2023
A woman holds leaflets picturingIrish-Israeli girl Emily Hand, believed to be being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza, November 17, 2023
Her father previously spoke of his fear that his daughter would not be released as part of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
‘Until I see Emily’s blue eyes looking into my own, I won’t allow myself to believe anything,’ the father from Dublin, 63, wrote in The Independent on Wednesday.
‘News that 50 Hamas hostages might soon be released as part of a four-day truce has given me a glimmer of hope,’ he wrote, ‘but also a new sickness in the depths of my stomach. What if Emily is not among those that her assailants choose to send home?’
Noam and Alma are two siblings from the Or family who have been given their freedom back.
Their home was destroyed by the Hamas group as a group of fighters took the sibling, their father, Dror and their nephew, Liam, 18, hostage.
Noam and Alma, are two siblings from the Or family who have been given their freedom back
The pair’s older brother, Yahli and their dog, Nella, thankfully survived, but the ruthless terrorists killed their mother on the day they savagely descended on their kibbutz.
Yahli is now volunteering for a year of national service in the north after he escaped what could have been a fatal fate as he wasn’t home on October 7.
Dror was a chef and cheesemaker in the Be’eri Dairy, and his wife, Yonat, successfully created her own furniture line.
Maya Regev, 21, who was kidnapped from the Supernova music festival, is also among the 13 to be released.
It is believed the free spirit arrived at the Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba in stable condition this evening.
Maya Regev, 21, who was kidnapped from the Supernova music festival, is also among the 13 to be released
She was the only hostage to be taken to the medical centre to undergo immediate medical attention.
The music-lover was kidnapped during the festival along with her brother Itai, who still remains in captivity.
The Health Ministry says that her family is waiting for her and that they call on the public to respect her privacy at this time as she receives treatment and reunites with family and friend, according to The Times Of Israel.
Shoshan Haran, a noted agricultural expert, was also given back her freedom after being pronounced missing following the October attacks.
Her family have stayed strong and hopeful during the last few terrifying weeks.
Shoshan Haran, a noted agricultural expert, was also given back her freedom after being pronounced missing following the October attacks
Missing his sister immensely, Aviv Havron arrived at Shoshan’s home with 200 civilians and a ceramic pot.
He told the local paper: ‘It’s all that’s left from Shoshan’s house.
‘The terrorists detonated the home with explosives after abducting Shoshan and nine other members of her family.’
Shoshan founded Fair Planet, an internationally acclaimed farming project that has enabled thousands of previously impoverished farmers to earn a good living while providing a million Africans with a reliable food source.
After she was taken hostage, like her life, the organisation was put in jeopardy.
She studied plant biology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Rutgers University in New Jersey and since built an impressive career at Hazera Genetics.
The youngest known hostage released on Saturday night is Yahel Haran, who is just three years old and a granddaughter to Shoshan
Yahel’s brother Naveh, eight, was also abducted with his father and five other members of his family
Shoham’s psychologist daughter, Adi Shoham, 38, was also returned to Israeli officials on Saturday night
Shoham’s sister-in-law, Sharon Avigdori, and her daughter Noam, 12, were also pictured safely returning to safe territory
Sharon Avigdori, and her daughter Noam were pictured safely returning to their home territory
The youngest known hostage released on Saturday night is Yahel Haran, who is just three years old and a granddaughter to Shoshan.
The toddler and her brother, Naveh, eight, were abducted with their father and four other wider members of their family.
While the four distantly related family members were released, their father, Tal Shoham, was sadly not granted his freedom with his children.
Shoham’s psychologist daughter, Adi Shoham, 38, was also returned to Israeli officials.
Her sister-in-law, Sharon Avigdori, and her daughter Noam, 12, were also pictured safely returning to safe territory.
Hila Rotem Shoshani, 13, was one of the very few prisoners released back to safe hands.
But the teenager returns with out her mother, Raya, who was also captured but the merciless group on October, 7.
Hila Rotem Shoshani, 13, was one of the very few prisoners released back to safe hands
The pair desperately hid in the safe room of their home when the killers tagetted their home town but Hila wrote to her brother at 12.05pm to inform him that they were abducted.
That was the last communication anyone had with Raya or Hila.
Their condition was unknown for weeks – their family were not officially informed that the pair were hostages in Gaza until October, 29.
Noga Weiss, 18 and her mother Shirim 53, were finally released this evening after Hamas attacked their Kibbutz Be’eri, killing, burning and kidnapping those who lived there.
When the terrorist group broke into their family home, Noga desperately hid under the bed in her safe room and watched as the criminals abuducted her mother.
Noga Weiss, 18 and her mother Shirim 53, were finally released this evening after Hamas attacked their Kibbutz Be’eri, killing, burning and kidnapping those who lived there
The teenager messaged her family on WhatsApp as the vultures set fire to her home.
When the fire made it impossible to breathe, Noga, was forced to escape out of the window and hide in a nearby bush.
She texted her sister at 11.30am that a terrorist was approaching her hiding spot – that was the last time anyone heard from her.
While she may have returned safely with her mother, the condition of her father, Ilan, is unknown and is still defined as missing.
This is a breaking news story. More to follow.
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