Twenty surviving hostages were released after two years in Hamas captivity, and the release is sparking relief well beyond Israel.
That includes the Bay Area, which has ties to the family of one of those hostages released Monday.
Alon Ohel is among the 20 set free. He arrived at a medical facility in Israel Monday and was quickly reunited with his family — including his mother who was born in Berkeley.
Pictures and videos posted on the family’s social media sites show the emotional reunion after 738 days in captivity.
The American Jewish Committee, which also has deep ties to the Bay Area, was among the agencies who helped facilitate hundreds of meetings between hostages’ families and government officials in the push to get Hamas to free those hostages.
“We have to be hopeful but vigilant, I think. We have seen already through the United States leadership, through Israel’s acceptance, through the neighboring Arab and Muslim countries in the region for this agreement that there is an inclination, there is a desire on the part of most parties,” said Seth Brysk of the American Jewish Committee.
While there is relief and celebration for the 20 living hostages released Monday, there’s also deep grief for the dozens of Israeli hostages who died in captivity — including Berkeley-born Hersh Goldberg-Polin.
His father and mother said Monday that they continue to push for all Israeli hostages — living and dead — to be returned to their families.
Source: NBC Bay Area