In a conversation with Israel Hayom, the uncle of Aisha and Baliel al-Ziadne, who returned safely from Hamas captivity, talks about the family's partial joy in Rahat and the pain that his brother Yusef and nephew Hamza are still in captivity.
"We're fine thank God, we just hope everyone comes home and we do a big darkness," he says, his voice shaking with joy.
Ali meets his niece Aisha in hospital after she was released from Hamas captivity,
"Thousands have come to rejoice with us, but many thousands will still come when Yusuf and Hamza return. We intend to build big wedding tents, at least 3,000 chairs – all this will only happen when everyone returns home. In the meantime, we don't allow ourselves to celebrate."
The joy is incomplete
Ali says that in any case, a celebration of the return of the two boys will take place. "Aisha's mother is very happy," he says.
About captivity itself, his nephews don't talk in the meantime. "They don't know anything – they came in blindfolded and came back blindfolded and didn't know anything. They didn't know when it was day or night."
Ali and Bilal Alziadene meet for the first time after captivity,
On the recommendation of the accompanying staff, Ali says, they were instructed not to exert unnecessary pressure on Bilal and Aisha so as not to open their mental wounds again. "I didn't ask because our psychologist told us not to ask anything. If they want to share then that's fine, but we don't allow himself to question them."
Ali expresses hope that the young age of the two will help them return to normal soon. "When they get back to themselves, we'll talk to them and ask them about it."
At first, the family chose to take a step back and not exert media and public pressure, but once the releases began, and each new list of relatives did not appear, the Alziadene family felt the need to act. In Ali's opinion, the pressure helped the struggle for the release of his nephew and niece.
The joy was not complete. Father and brother are still in captivity,
"Anything helps," he concludes. "The families of the abductees need to continue with the pressure and we will continue until everyone returns."
Brothers Aisha and Bilal al-Ziadne, 17 and 18, were released from Hamas captivity on Thursday after 55 days. The two were abducted from Kibbutz Dune together with their brother and father on October 7, while working there. Yusef, 49, and their brother Hamza, 21, are still being held in the Gaza Strip.
Wrong? We'll fix it! If you find a mistake in the article, please share with us