The daughter of a man currently being held captive in Gaza has expressed that her family remains cautiously optimistic about the possibility of his return under a newly proposed ceasefire agreement.
“There are still many things that could go awry. We’ve witnessed failures in the past, but there are glimmers of hope emerging amid the darkness,” said Dr. Sharone Lifschitz.
She acknowledged that there have been times she has almost given up hope of seeing her 84-year-old father, Oded, again, but today she feels somewhat more optimistic “simply because it seems like things are aligning.”
In an interview with RTÉ’s News at One, she emphasized that families of hostages are acutely aware that their loved ones’ lives hang in the balance every single moment.
Furthermore, she stated, until we receive contrary information, we will fight for his return.
Dr. Lifschitz mentioned that the last update on her father was in November 2023, when some hostages were released as part of the first agreement, but since then, “we have heard nothing.”
“My father is 84. He was already frail [when he was taken captive],” she shared.
Dr. Lifschitz recounted how both her elderly parents were abducted by militants during the attacks on October 7, 2023.
“My father was shot in the hand through the door of the safe room and then dragged away. My mother was taken on the back of a motorbike, lying like a carpet, as she described it. My mother returned after 17 days, but my father has been held hostage in Gaza for 465 days now.”
Her mother, Yocheved Lifschitz, was released and is notably remembered for shaking hands with her captor upon her liberation.
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Following her release, she recounted being beaten by militants while being taken into Gaza on October 7 but noted that she was treated well during her two weeks in captivity.
Her daughter expressed the family’s fears, along with those of other hostage families, that something might disrupt the negotiations, and they are eager to see them “out of there” as quickly as possible.
“I also understand that approximately half of the hostages may return to us deceased, and we will be left to bury them, which shows how much heartache lies ahead for us.”
