An elderly woman and a boy with family members from the Pennsylvania area were among the Israeli hostages released by Hamas on Tuesday.
Hamas released 12 hostages and Israel released 30 Palestinian prisoners on Tuesday, the fifth day of a fragile cease-fire that has enabled humanitarian aid to flow into Gaza and that mediators hope to extend even as Israel pledges to resume the war.
Israel-Hamas War
Israel said 10 of its citizens and two Thai nationals freed by Hamas returned to Israel. Soon after, Israel released the Palestinian prisoners. The truce is due to end after one more exchange Wednesday night.
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Two of the Israeli hostages who were released, 12-year-old Eitan Yahalomi and 84-year-old Ditza Heiman, have relatives who live on Philadelphia's Main Line.
Yahalomi’s distant relative lives in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, while Heiman’s stepson lives in Ardmore, NBC10 confirmed.
Yahalomi, described as a “sensitive boy with a big heart and immense empathy for others” had been in Hamas’ captivity for 52 days before Tuesday’s release. Heiman had been in captivity for 53 days.
Yahalomi was reunited with his mother Wednesday night after being flown to a hospital after his release.
"It's amazing. I burst into tears when I saw it," Danielle Gutman, a relative of the family said reacting to images of the reunion. "I'm tearing up now also. It's amazing because it makes me think how I would feel if it was one of my daughters in that situation. It's heartbreaking that he went through it. It's just amazing that [he's] back."
The boy was one of the several hostages released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners on the fifth day of a truce between Israel and Hamas.
One of Heiman's family members posted on Facebook about her return on Wednesday.
But many more people are still missing, including Eitan’s father Ohad Yahalomi. They were both kidnapped in Gaza.
"We don’t know where Ohad is. We are still very worried. But we are relieved that Eitan is back with his mother and sisters and the rest of the family," Gutman said.
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