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Families of recently freed Israeli captives issue statements
The families of Sagui Dekel-Chen and Sasha Trufanov, who were released from Hamas captivity on Saturday, have welcomed their return in statements issued late on Sunday, according to Ynet News.
- Dekel-Chen’s father, Yonathan, hailed the ceasefire, saying “it took courage to reach an agreement to release the hostages”. While the deal was “imperfect”, it allowed for the return of Sagui, he said, adding that there can be healing only when all captives return home.
- Dekel-Chen’s wife, Avital, said he had “not seen the light of day” since October 7 and that he did not know if she and their daughters were still alive until the day before his release.
- Trufanov’s mother, Elena, said he had been shot in both legs and that it was a “miracle” that he was still standing on his feet. She thanked the Russian government for its role in her son’s release.
Families of Israeli captives mark 500th day since October 7 attacks
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum has called for a nationwide fast to mark the 500th day of captivity for the Israelis remaining in Gaza, according to The Times of Israel.
The fast will start at 11.40am local time (09:40 GMT) and end at 8pm (18:00 GMT), with a rally in Tel Aviv, the outlet said.
Israeli government ‘has fallen in love’ with war: Opposition party leader
Yair Golan, the leader of the centre-left Democrats party, says the Israeli government “has fallen in love with the war as it acts for its own survival and messianic delusions”.
“We must release all the hostages and end the war,” he said, adding that it should happen “with a regional political move that guarantees maximum security for Israel”.
