"You're finally back home, read the banner Korin Cohen Ben Yakar held on her lap in her wheelchair on Monday in Tel Aviv's Hostages Square. In that place that has witnessed so many tears in the two years since the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023, those tears on Monday, however, were of joy, of happiness, said the 57-year-old woman, and those at her side could not contain their tears either."
"A giant screen simultaneously showed how the cars carrying the first hostages freed in Gaza seven of the last 20 still alive were already driving along an Israeli road. Shortly beforehand, Hamas had handed them over to the Red Cross, which then transferred them to the Israeli army. They're already in Israel; that's Israel, the woman shouted, also laughing at the same time, while her 25-year-old daughter Ofir hugged her."
"The counter that since October 7, 2023, has been keeping track of the time the Cuneos and the rest of the hostages had been held, read 737 days and five hours when the first seven freed captives from the group of 20 set foot on Israeli soil. Their arrival was greeted with a general outburst of elation by the thousands of people who, like the woman in a wheelchair, watched the broadcast of their return to Israel shortly after 8:00 a.m. local time."
Seven hostages freed in Gaza arrived in Israel after 737 days in captivity, transferred from Hamas to the Red Cross and then to the Israeli army. Thousands gathered at Tel Aviv's Hostages Square, where family members and long-time demonstrators watched a live broadcast of the returning captives. Korin Cohen Ben Yakar, a 57-year-old demonstrator in a wheelchair, celebrated and embraced relatives while wearing a T-shirt bearing photos of abducted siblings. The released include David and Ariel Cuneo, dual Israeli-Argentine nationals kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz. Emotions ranged from elation to tearful reunions among families and the public.
Read at english.elpais.com
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