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A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is underway and hostages are being released. After the initial jubilation of being freed, the released captives — who have been held for more than 15 months — are likely to endure a trying reentry, based on the testimony of those who were held hostage themselves.
A freed hostage, who was released from Gaza captivity in January, spoke to supporters in a video message that was screened at a rally in Tel Aviv on Saturday.
"It will take time and it's a process - it won't end in a week or two, but I'm here thanks to you, and I'm okay," Doron Steinbrecher said.
She expressed that it was important for her to film the video to convey her message and show that she is well.
The weekly hostage protest in Tel Aviv also saw thousands gathered to watch Doron's mother Simona Steinbrecher and sister Yamit Ashkenazi speak on stage.
Romi Cohen, the twin sister of kidnapped soldier Nimrod Cohen, also addressed the crowd, urging them to “keep fighting.”
Hamas freed three hostages in the southern Gaza Strip on Saturday and Israel released 183 Palestinian prisoners in the fourth round of exchanges during the Gaza ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.
The six-week phase one truce calls for the release of 33 hostages and nearly 2,000 prisoners, as well as the return of Palestinians to northern Gaza and an increase in humanitarian aid to the devastated territory.
Israel and Hamas are set next week to begin negotiating a second phase of the ceasefire, which calls for releasing the remaining hostages and extending the truce indefinitely. The war could resume in early March if an agreement is not reached.
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