Three young Israeli women, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag, have been released from captivity in Gaza after 477 days. The mothers of the girls described their experiences during an emotional reunion with their daughters at a hospital.
Daniella’s mother, Orly, said her daughter is happy to be free and doing things she enjoys without restrictions. However, Orly knows that Daniella’s recovery will take time, as she has been through a traumatic experience. Naama Levy’s mother, Ayelet, described her daughter as being haunted by the loss of friends during captivity.
The mothers also spoke about the conditions their daughters were kept in, with Liri Albag held with other hostages and forced to perform tasks for civilians. Amit Soussana, another freed hostage, credited Liri with saving her life by convincing the captors she was not an Israeli soldier.
As the truce hangs by a thread, the families of the hostages are pressing for more releases. Ayelet appealed to US President Donald Trump for getting the ceasefire deal done and allowing the release of the remaining hostages. The Israeli defense minister, Yoav Gallant, echoed her sentiment, stating that Israel should have acted sooner to secure the early release of the hostages.
The drive and passion shown by the families over nearly 500 days is now ramping up as they await news about the remaining hostages. Ayelet urged everyone to see them all home safely, emphasizing the need for urgency in securing their freedom.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/13/middleeast/israel-hostages-mothers/index.html