Joy at hostage rescue-but silence over Gaza lives lost

Eight months after the horrors of 7 October, last Saturday was a rare, joyful day in Israel after four hostages were rescued safely from Gaza.

- Bethan McKernan

Street parties were held across the country, and the weekly demonstration in Tel Aviv demanding that the government strike a deal with Hamas to release the remaining 120 captives was invigorated by the news. Israeli media celebrated the reunion of the Nova festivalgoer Noa Argamani with her terminally ill mother, and broke the sad news that the father of another freed Nova hostage, Almog Meir Jan, had died just hours before his son arrived home in a military helicopter.

Meir Jan was the only one of the four to have made any public comment by last Sunday, telling state broadcaster Kan Radio last Saturday: "Thank you, thank you to everyone. I am fine. I am with my supportive family."

Family members of the hostages said that their loved ones were aware while in captivity of the grassroots protest movement pressuring the government to bring them home.