Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], January 20 (ANI): The Consul General of Israel to South India, Orli Weitzman, expressed that Israel sees the recent ceasefire deal with Hamas as a crucial step toward securing the return of all hostages taken during the brutal October 7 invasion.
Speaking in Bengaluru, she recounted the harrowing circumstances that led to over 200 hostages being taken, describing the invasion as one where "Hamas brutally invaded Israel while slaughtering, raping, and killing women, children, and babies." The first phase of the hostage release has already seen the return of three women, marking a moment of relief after 471 days in captivity.
"After more than 471 days in Gaza, we are finally seeing a situation where the first three women were sent home. This is very comforting to see these young girls who have been taken away from their parents, friends...We don't know what conditions they were in but we know that they were terrible conditions...We are happy that they are home and we are hoping that all the rest of the hostages still left in Gaza will be able to make it home soon," she said.
The return of Romi Gnen, Emily Damari, and Doron Steinbrecher after over a year of suffering in Gaza was met with joy in Israel.
Weitzman emphasised that their return was deeply moving for the country, stating that "there is not a dry eye left in Israel seeing these images." Israel remains hopeful that the remaining 94 hostages will return home soon.
When asked about the ceasefire's impact, Weitzman explained that it represents a gradual agreement, with the potential to bring home more hostages. "This gives opportunity for most of the hostages, for 33 of the hostages to come now, and hopefully for the rest of the hostages to come home as well," she said.
Weitzman also spoke on the broader implications of the deal, expressing hope that it could end Hamas' control in Gaza, providing Palestinians an opportunity for a better future. She reiterated that Hamas, "a terrorist group who has not only hurt and harmed Israelis terribly during the past year, but also throughout the years," has caused significant harm to both Israelis and Palestinians.
Earlier, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed that Hamas released the first three hostages as part of the ceasefire framework on Sunday, January 19. The hostages have now been returned to Israeli territory after 471 days in Gaza.
The IDF shared a photo of the hostages, captioned, "They're home," as they were transferred to a reception point in southern Israel for an initial medical assessment. IDF officers are accompanying the hostages as they are reunited with their families.
This marked the official start of the first phase of the ceasefire-hostage deal, which was delayed shortly before implementation due to concerns about Hamas' commitment to providing a list of hostages. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasised that any violations would "not be tolerated."
The Israeli Prime Minister's office confirmed that the ceasefire began at 11:15 am local time, and Israeli President Isaac Herzog expressed national joy, saying, "An entire nation rejoices at your return." Herzog acknowledged the painful journey ahead for those still waiting for their loved ones to come home and vowed that Israel would continue efforts to bring all hostages back. (ANI)