Petah Tivka, Israel
Dozens of Israeli hostages and more than 100 Palestinian prisoners returned home over the weekend, including the first American to be released by Hamas in Gaza, a four-year-old named Abigail. One more group of hostages was expected to walk free Monday before the four-day cease-fire agreed by Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip expires.
The pause in fighting is set to end at 7 a.m. Tuesday morning local time, which is midnight Eastern, but Israel has said it's willing to extend the agreement by one extra day for every 10 additional hostages released by Hamas.
A Hamas representative told CBS News on Monday that the group does want to extend the truce, so there was hope that more Israeli hostages could be returned in the days ahead, and more Palestinian prisoners released in return.
That will be welcome news for dozens of Israeli families still longing to get their loved ones back after Hamas' bloody Oct. 7 terror rampage across southern Israel.
Hamas Releases 17 More Hostages, Including U.S.-Israeli Child
Hamas, a group designated as a terrorist organization by several nations, has continued to release hostages as part of a deal with Israeli authorities. On Sunday, 17 people were handed back to Israeli authorities, including 13 Israelis and four foreign nationals. Among them was Abigail Mor Edan, a four-year-old U.S.-Israeli dual national, who had been held captive for over 50 days. Abigail's parents were killed in an attack by Hamas gunmen on October 7th, and she was kidnapped.
The temporary cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, which began on Friday, has remained intact. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited troops in the Gaza Strip on Sunday to assess the damage caused by the military's airstrikes and ground operations. Israel has also upheld its end of the hostage deal by releasing 117 Palestinian prisoners, many of whom are teenagers. The release of the prisoners has been met with celebrations in the West Bank, where some people have waved the green flag of Hamas.
Source: CBS News
In Israel, nine-year-old Emily Hand, initially thought to have been killed, was among the child hostages returned to their parents over the weekend.
It was a joyous reunion also for Ohad Munder, who spotted his eager father waiting to greet him.
Shira Havron's family got six of its members back on Saturday, including her aunt and three cousins.
"There's no words, I think, invented to explain this feeling," she told CBS News, calling it "such an uplifting moment and so emotional… It was a miracle."
Yaffa Adar, 85, was among the first hostages released on Friday night. She was last seen being paraded through the streets of Gaza on a golf cart stolen from her kibbutz.
"They say a lot of jokes about the Jewish grandma… but there isn't a tougher material in the world," declared Yifat Zailer, who, like the rest of Israel, was glued to her television watching the hostage releases with excitement and relief over the weekend. But for her, like many others, there were mixed emotions.
"I'm really jealous," she told CBS News.
Zailer was still waiting Monday for her cousin Shiri and Shiri's two children, Ariel, 4, and 10-month-old Kfir, to be released. They were kidnapped by Hamas militants from Kibbutz Nir Oz.
Hostages Released in Groups, Families Anxiously Await Return of Loved Ones
One mother expressed her frustration and anxiety over the way the hostages have been released in groups, without much prior notice of who will be next. She described the experience as torture and wasn't optimistic about her youngest child being home soon.
According to the mother, it is obvious that the captors are keeping the baby hostage until the end. She believes that the baby has become a symbol and that Hamas is aware of this. As a result, they can demand a higher price or whatever they want because they know how much the family wants the baby back.
