Quotes
This moment of the releases is an emotional and psychological trigger for something they were supposed to experience, and they never will experience, because this deal took too long,
It doesn’t matter how much we care about them; they’re their own people, they’re not ‘ours,
Our curiosity is really not important compared with what the hostages need,
Given the physical and emotional conditions, we expect emotional withdrawal symptoms, such as maybe exhaustion, fatigue — and some will probably need assistance with their mobility,
So many people were killed that should have been alive if they did not sabotage this deal,
I am the last one to put words into his mouth, but I can tell you that he spent a lifetime believing that another alternative is possible for Zionism, for socialism,
There is no other way to release the hostages, and from within Israeli society, that was very important,
the retired Major General said Many people don't like it, because it is clear that Israel is losing the ability to destroy Hamas, as we promised,
We are dealing with this deal [for] more than a year, and both sides tried to achieve the best deal for themselves,
retired Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Major General Yaakov Amidror said in a discussion with reporters Thursday afternoon The best deal is the one which was not achieved,
Hamas is going to be able to claim that it survived,
No one can promise that Hamas will keep its word and execute the second stage,
Amos Harel, a military affairs columnist for the Israeli paper Haaretz, wrote on Friday It’s a mix of emotions. Of course we are really glad that people are coming back home, but on the other hand, we don’t know their condition. And Evyatar is not on the first list. We are anxious because every day he stays there, he is in danger,
said Matan Eshet, 27, David’s cousin We are against a deal like this. I’m not demonstrating against the families but against the government. It’s forbidden for a country to be run by the emotions of families. The families have the right to do whatever they think will bring their family members, but as a country, we can’t put in danger the security of the whole state.”
We need to continue this war … My best friend died a month ago [fighting] in Rafah. I ask myself now if it was for nothing,
The ministers who have been saying that they want to reject the deal, they’re a stain on the state of Israel, and they don’t represent the state of Israel... They must put all of our people above the politics."
As for the comments from Israeli ministers Mr Smotrich and Mr Ben-Gvir, she says This uncertainty is ripping families apart - there is a chance they could be all be released. If this opportunity is missed you have no idea how long will be until the next time”
We must go all the way with the ceasefire deal, no one should be left behind
Shay Dickmann, 29 - a fifth year medical student, whose cousins Carmel Gat and Yarden Gat were also captured on 7 October, speaking from Hostage Square, where families hold regular protests demanding the government bring their relatives home, tells The Independent Seeing people return is going to bring tears of joy,
says Alana Zeitchik, who has six family members seized by Hamas from Kibbutz Nir Oz in the Hamas attack This is a vital step on the path to upholding the basic commitment a nation has to its citizens,
