Families of hostages still inside Gaza have warned that this ceasefire is “the one and only chance” to bring everyone home, as fears grow that the deal could flounder with Israel and Hamas accusing each other of breaching the terms.
Hamas released four female Israeli soldiers on Saturday in exchange for 200 Palestinian detainees as part of the first six-week phase of the ceasefire.
However, a delay in freeing a different female hostage prompted Israel to block hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from returning to the enclave’s bombed-out north until the issue is resolved.
Both sides have since accused each other of breaching the terms of the deal, sparking concerns that this could hinder further releases or even scupper the agreement entirely.
Relatives, friends, and supporters of the hostages gathered in Hostage Square in Tel Aviv on Saturday evening, calling for everyone involved to do “everything possible” to hold the deal until all the remaining 90 hostages are returned.
“I am worried because this is the one and only chance to bring everyone home,” said Efrat Machikawa, 56, whose uncle Gadi Moses, 80, was taken captive from Kibbutz Nir Oz.
The grandfather is on the list of those due to be released in the next few weeks as part of the first phase of the ceasefire. But the last proof of life the family received was in December 2023, when he appeared in an Islamic Jihad video, which Ms Machikawa could only bear to watch once.
“For me, as a citizen of the state of Israel and a citizen of the world, I think we need to focus on life. And this is why I think the war should end. I think the cycle of violence should end,” Ms Machikawa added.
“I think the whole global community should understand that bringing back the hostages will open a window for a better future, not only for Israel but also for the Palestinians, for the region, for the Middle East, and hopefully for the world as a whole.”
Gili Roman, 40, whose sister Yarden Roman-Gat was released in the November 2023 deal, but whose cousin Carmel was killed by her militant captors when the last attempt at a ceasefire collapsed, said there was a lot of “anxiety and nervousness about the people who are yet to be released”.
“We are dependent on Hamas to respect the terms of the deal; they failed to do it today,” he told The Independent, fearing they were doing this for “leverage”.
“It feels very hopeful, but at the same time, the deal can be breached. It can be broken. It can be sabotaged.”
“We are also worried about the extremists in our government. They’ve already declared they are going to go with full force to stop the next phase of the deal from happening.”
In a show of force, on Saturday dozens of masked and armed Palestinian militants crowded a main square in Gaza to stage the handover of the four female soldiers.
The release of Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy (all aged 20), and Liri Albag (19) came after days of anticipation for families of hostages, with Hamas only announcing the names of those to be released on Friday.
They did not, as expected, reveal the fate of 27 others who are slated to be freed as part of the deal, including the youngest hostage Kfir Bibas who was abducted at just 8 months old and turned two in captivity this month.
Israel accused Hamas of breaching the truce because Arbel Yehud, 28, who had been abducted with her boyfriend from their home in Kibbutz Nir Oz, was not among those released on Saturday.
Hamas said the delay was due to a “technical issue” and an official informed mediators that she was alive and would be freed next Saturday.
But with tensions at breaking point, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Palestinians in Gaza would not be allowed to cross back into the northern part of the territory until the issue was resolved. A move Hamas said was a violation of the terms.
Palestinian officials said as many as 650,000 displaced people were waiting to return to the north, beginning on Sunday under the ceasefire.
The Independent spoke with some families who had been displaced several times from the north of Israel. They said there was confusion and fear over when they would be permitted to travel north and return home.
Thousands of people gathered with their belongings along the coastal road, where they said an Israeli tank continued to block the road to the north.
“I will not go back to the tent,” Zaki Kashef, 26, waiting on the coastal road to return north from Deir Al-Balah where he had been sheltering with his family for more than a year, told Reuters via a chat app.
Back in Israel, thousands gathered at the rallying square to celebrate the release of the hostages but also to urge that the ceasefire hold and that the remaining hostages be released.
On the stage, Eli Shtivvi, father of Idan Shtivvi, 28, who was killed during the Nova Music festival and whose body was taken to Gaza, said seeing more hostages return filled his heart with joy “but just for one day”.
Then he said he had to go back to fighting for his son’s body.
“Part of my heart will remain captive in Gaza forever – until everyone returns. Continue the deal until the last hostage returns.”
Ayelet Samerano, mother of Yonathan, 21, also spoke on the stage. Yonathan was also killed during the Nova Music Festival and his body was also taken by militants back to Gaza.
She said until they are returned “we have no life, and will have no life as long as they are held hostage”.
