Returning Home
Eitan Yahalomi (12), Nir Oz
Reunited with his mother and two sisters: Eitan Yahalomi, 2, from Nir Oz, returned to his mother's arms Batsheva, in the fourth phase of release, which was completed today (Monday).
That Black Saturday, the Yahalomi family sat in the safe room for two hours – Ohad, Batsheva's partner, Eitan, 12, Yael, 10, and their baby sister, who is one year and eight months old. At some point, Ohad decided to leave the safe room so that the three would be closed, and he would sit outside with a gun and protect them. At around 10:00 A.M., four terrorists entered their home and there was an exchange of gunfire between Ohad and them. When they left the safe room, Batsheva and the children found Ohad shot and bleeding at the entrance to the house.
The terrorists took the mother and children and split them into two motorcycles. Eitan was seated on a motorcycle with a foreign worker who was handcuffed, and Batsheva, Yael, and the baby were placed on another motorcycle. "We were advancing towards Gaza, and we were already very close, when at some point two army tanks appeared, I don't know from where, and started zigzagging in the area and chasing away the convoy that started running in every direction. The terrorist stopped our motorcycle and dropped us off, and from here I didn't see Eitan anymore, I don't know what happened to him," Batsheva said. After she managed to escape with her two daughters and return to the kibbutz area, they saw a bus dropping off soldiers and it evacuated them, and then they also discovered that Ohad was no longer at the entrance to the house, and in retrospect it turned out that he had also been kidnapped.
Just last week, Batsheva spoke about her hopes for Eitan's return, her fears of their first meeting when he returns, and her difficult feelings when he is held captive by Hamas: "I am very afraid of our first meeting. I'm afraid it won't be the same Ethan. I'm afraid he'll be angry with me, that he might be alienated, but I hope we can get over this and start a new life. There is a very strong connection between him and me. Eitan doesn't like walking around alone, wants us next to him, so I don't think he's there alone. It's a difficult and discouraging feeling."
Eitan Yahalomi, Photo: "Israel Hayom"
Or (16), Vigil (12) Yaakov, Nir Oz
Return to mother's embrace - father remains captive Hamas: Or and Yagil Yaakov return Monday evening to the bosom of their mother Renana Goma, who did not stop fighting for their return. On Black Saturday, terrorists also broke into the Ya'akov family home and abducted the two brothers, 16-year-old Or and 12-year-old Yagil, who were staying there alone.
The brothers hid in the safe room in their home in Nir Oz, and managed to tell their mother about the infiltration of the terrorists. She even heard Yagil say to one of the kidnappers: "I'm too small, don't take me." Later, an animated video was created by the creators of the film "Waltz with Bashir", which tells the story of the brothers. Separately from the two brothers, their father Yair Yaakov and his partner Merav Tal were also abducted to Gaza.
A few days after he was kidnapped, Islamic Jihad terrorists released a video of Yagil while he was in Gaza, claiming that they were willing to release him for humanitarian reasons, while at the same time it was reported that he had a severe peanut allergy. In the end, the liberation did not take place, and only today will he return to his mother's arms – with his father left behind.
Or Vigil Yaakov, Photo: "Israel Hayom"
Sharon (34), and twins: Emma (3), and Yuli (3) Konyo, Nir Oz
How good it is that you came home: The fourth phase of releases was completed on Monday after X of the Israeli abductees arrived in Israel after being held captive by Hamas since October 7.
Sharon (34) and David (33) Kunio were abducted from Nir Oz along with their three-year-old twins, Emma and Yuli Konyo-Aloni. Deron is Daniel Aloni's sister, who was released in the first phase of the deal on Friday. The father of the family, David, remained held captive in Gaza by Hamas together with his brother, Ariel (26). The two were not released as part of the deal.
Eitan Konyo, David's twin brother, recently told Israel Hayom: "Yuli and her mother are girls who love to dance, be happy, sociable and smiling – they are being held by terrorists and need to go home now."
He added: "When we were informed that David and Sharon have twins it was surprising, it usually skips by a generation. Of course at first it was difficult, the first birth was also twins, but we helped them, and we are waiting to help them again – only for them to come back."
"The Friday before the kidnapping was a very happy evening. The whole family was in full ensemble, everyone was dancing and singing. My daughters still don't know that their cousins have been kidnapped, they sense that something is happening and it's clear to us that the questions will come."
"Sharon, Emma and Julia, Photo: Israel Hayom"
Karina (51), and her daughters: Mika (18), Yuval (11), Nir Oz
The mother and two daughters return to the brother - and together they will wait together for the father of the family: The story of the Engel family reached the headlines after the four members of the family from Nir Oz were kidnapped, the father of the family Ronen (55), Karina (51), and her daughters Mika (18) and Yuval (11). Only Tom, the eldest son, a discharged soldier who was not at home, survived.
Karina, who recovered from cancer in the past year, returns to Israel with her two daughters, while father Ronen remains in Gaza. Tom will get a hug from Mom after being left alone.
In a recent interview with Israel Hayom, he said: "My mother is the strongest person I know, in the last two years she got cancer and underwent a year of treatments that finished her body – but she still remained strong. That's what my parents taught me – to stay strong."
He added: "I miss family dinners, trips together, my sister Mika has just started a year of service, she is a very outstanding, hardworking girl who works with children. Yuval, my little sister, is the chick of the house, the light of the house. I really hope that my sisters are together with my mother and they look after each other, I also hope that my father is with them but I don't really know, maybe they were separated because he is a man and maybe they were kidnapped separately because he went outside to fight. I hope they go back to being my family."
Karina and her daughters, Mika and Yuval, Photo: "Israel Hayom"
Sahar (16) and Erez (12) Calderon, Nir Oz
Hadas Calderon fought like a lioness to bring back her children – Sahar, 16, and Erez, 12, who were kidnapped to Gaza together with their father, Ofer Calderon.
Erez marked his 12th birthday last month in Hamas captivity, abducted from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, along with his father Ofer and 16-year-old sister Sahar.
His grandmother Carmela and cousin Noya were also abducted and murdered by the terrorists. Hours after the abduction, a video emerged showing Hamas terrorists abducting Erez - and this is how the family realized that their loved ones had been kidnapped.
At one of the rallies, Hadas said: "I hear my son every day in my ear shouting to me, 'Mom, save me.' That's what I hear and my heart is broken and crushed, and unfortunately I don't even have time to grieve."
Sahar and Erez Calderon, Photo: "Israel Hayom"
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