Sharon Calderon and Ido Dan Calderon, relatives of 16-year-old Sahar and 12-year-old Erez who returned home Monday evening after 53 days in Hamas captivity, do not know their souls with joy.
"Happy and excited, but we still have a huge hole in our hearts" - Families and friends of the abductees waiting for their arrival// Photo: Ran Shauli
Sharon Calderon, their aunt, welcomed their release straight from Ichilov Hospital: "We brought Erez and Saar home, we are happy and excited and excited and hope they are well. Now we embark on part two of the road. We need to bring Ofer and all the other abductees and bring them to one big table."
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. Erez and Sahar have now been reunited with their mother Hadas. Together they will continue to work for Ofer's release from Hamas captivity in Gaza.
Sahar Calderon handed over to the Red Cross by Hamas terrorists, photo: Reuters,
Sahar, alongside her brothers Erez and Eitan Yahalomi enter Red Cross vehicles, Photo: Reuters,
An IDF helicopter lands on the roof of Ichilov with the abductees, Photo: AFP,
Ido Dan Calderon: "They came back to us, it's a formative day in our lives, and we're full of hope and excitement and we still haven't digested what is happening. We find it difficult to go from a state of endless constant anxiety to their fate to a state of relief and happiness. I believe it will take time. This is an exciting stage and fills the heart with happiness."
Thumb side heel
Dan Calderon added: "We understand that this is the beginning of a difficult rehabilitation process for young Sahar and Erez who went through an unbearable experience. We will do this due to the side of the thumb. Most of all, we hope for the return alive of our beloved Ofer Calderon, father of Sahar and Erez, who is still in danger, and of course the speedy return of all the abductees, abducted and missing, which is a national goal of the highest order.
"On behalf of my extended family, I would like to appeal to all the families of the abductees who, since that cursed Shabbat, have become one family going through unimaginable ups and downs together now that we did not pray to go through in our lives. I want to tell you this: Some families get to sit in chairs that were empty at this Friday dinner, but where the chairs are still orphans.
"We will not stop working with you shoulder to shoulder until your loved one comes to your lap together with our Ofer until the last of the abductees returns to our family, because that's how it is in the family. Who like us knows what you're going through, we're with you. We want to thank the people of Israel for the endless embrace and love we receive every day, which strengthens and helps us."
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