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Renana Gome-Jacob’s (50) nightmare lasted 52 days. Now it’s over: her two sons Or (17) and Yagil (13) were released from Hamas hostages on Tuesday evening. «The boys are finally back, after six long weeks. “Thank you for spreading our story,” she says.
At the end of October, Blick visited the desperate mother from the southern Israeli kibbutz Nir’Oz in Israel. She had told how on the fateful October 7, she spent hours on the phone with the two boys, trying to calm them down, while Hamas fighters paced outside the house.
She heard Yagil plead with one of the terrorists, “Please leave me, I’m just a child.” Then she heard nothing more. No sign for weeks. Pure horror.
Hugs but no kisses
And then the happy turn of events: Yagil and Or (they both celebrated their birthdays while being held hostage) were released as part of the fourth prisoner swap between Israel and Hamas. They were welcomed by their mother in sports shorts, sandals and physically intact.
The first photo of the reunited family shows Renana Gome-Jacob in a close embrace with the two boys. They smile, look healthy and relieved. Renane Gome-Jacob narrows her eyes and can hardly believe her luck. “HOME!” she wrote in large letters above the photo in a Facebook post.
“They don’t like kisses, but I will give them a big, big hug when I see them again,” the Israeli told Blick in October. That’s exactly how it happened.
Father Yair is still being held hostage
But the joy is not entirely undiminished. 49 residents of Kibbutz Nir’Oz, which was completely destroyed by Hamas, are still being held hostage. Among them is Yair Yaakov (59), the father of Or and Yagil.
There is still great concern for all those still in the hands of the terrorists in Gaza, says Osnat Peri, head of Nir’Oz. It is still unclear whether more prisoner exchanges will take place between the two warring sides in the coming days – and whether adult men will be among the released hostages for the first time.
A return to their kibbutz near the Palestinian Gaza Strip is currently not an option for the family. It will probably take years before the place is habitable and safe again.
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
