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‘Emotionally Drained’: Mix of Relief, Trepidation in Tel Aviv as First Three Hostages Released From Gaza
Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square on Jan. 19, 2025, as three Israeli hostages were set to be released from Hamas captivity as part of a Gaza ceasefire deal. Photo: Taken by author
A wave of relief and celebration swept through the crowd at Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square as three Israeli women were released after spending 471 days in Hamas captivity in Gaza.
The 2,000-strong crowd, composed of family members, friends, activists, and members of the general public, erupted into cheers and tears as live footage of the return of Emily Damari, Romi Gonen, and Doron Steinbrecher was broadcast.
The moment, though joyful, was mixed with pain for the ongoing torture for families of those still held captive as well as the terrible price Israel was forced to pay to free the hostages. After prolonged negotiations, Israel is set to release 1,700 terrorists — more than 1,000 of whom were arrested in Gaza after the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack, which saw 1,200 killed and 251 taken captive during the Palestinian terrorist group’s invasion of and rampage across southern Israel.
Sunday’s tranche, in which the three women were exchanged for 90 Palestinian security prisoners, is part of a 42-day ceasefire to halt fighting in Gaza in which 33 hostages are slated for release.
Israeli sources involved in the release process at Ofer Prison alleged that Red Cross representatives intentionally delayed the release of security prisoners. They claimed the postponement was aimed at ensuring the release occurred after the agreed-upon date, suggesting an effort to portray Israel in a negative light.
Onlookers at the square held up signs bearing the names and faces of those still missing, reminding the public that the crisis is far from over. Many in the crowd expressed mixed emotions — relief for the freed hostages but worry over the coming weeks and even years ahead.
Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square on Jan. 19, 2025, as three Israeli hostages were set to be released from Hamas captivity as part of a Gaza ceasefire deal. Photo: Taken by author
“I’m emotionally drained and it’s only been one day. How on earth are we going to keep this up for so long?” said Hani Nadav.
Footage of the three women being escorted by armed Hamas terrorists, their faces concealed by masks and Kalashnikov rifles in hand, stirred deep unease among viewers. The sight of roaring crowds in the background, celebrating the ceasefire, only intensified the emotional strain for those watching from afar.
“The most sickening part is we have to rely on Hamas — a bunch of rapist killers — to control those crowds because who knows what they would do to those women if they could get their hands on them?” said Nataly Spiro said. “It’s so messed up.”
Later in the evening, Hamas released a propaganda video showing its operatives giving the hostages “gift bags” prior to being released into the care of the Red Cross. The bags reportedly included photos of them in captivity, maps of Gaza, and a “release certificate.”
Clara Merman, who endured 53 days of captivity in Gaza alongside four members of her family before being released in November 2023, was also at Hostages Square. Merman shed light on the psychological tactics employed by Hamas during hostage releases, saying that the orchestrated nature of their actions was little more than a façade intended to project an image of control and benevolence.
“It was all for show, for the world to witness their apparent victory,” she said.
Merman recounted how, during their release, Hamas members assured them of protection amid chaotic crowds. “Hamas told us, ‘Don’t worry, we’re protecting you,’” she recounted.
According to Palestinian affairs analyst Khaled Abu Toameh, Hamas is leveraging the deal, which does not require it to relinquish control over the Gaza Strip, to reinstate its position as ruler over the coastal enclave in order to carry out further massacres against Israel in the future.
One man, Pinhas Cohen, said he was very opposed to the deal but nonetheless decided to come to Hostages Square — the de facto headquarters for activists who have been urging Israel to secure an agreement “at any cost” — because he felt he needed to be with “my Jewish brothers, even though I may disagree deeply with them.”
“Tonight, we celebrate. Seeing those three come back, it’s hard not to feel anything but complete joy. I hope that my fears about what will happen down the road will turn out to be completely unfounded,” Cohen said.
Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square on Jan. 19, 2025, as three Israeli hostages were set to be released from Hamas captivity as part of a Gaza ceasefire deal. Photo: Taken by author
The three women were transferred to Sheba Medical Center for evaluation, though hospital authorities said their initial assessment was positive. “Their condition allows us to concentrate on the important thing, which is reuniting with their families, and to postpone diving into medical issues for a few hours,” said Sheba Director Dr. Yael Frankel-Nir.
Footage emerging from the hospital showed the women hugging family members ecstatically. Damari was pictured with a bandaged hand with two remaining fingers. Her family said that her fingers had been shot off during the Oct. 7 attack.
The Steinbrecher family issued a statement after reuniting with their loved one.
“After an unbearable 471 days, our beloved Dodo has finally returned to our arms,” the Steinbrecher family said, referring to Doron by her nickname. The family went on to thank the people of Israel for endlessly fighting for Doron’s release, and extended thanks also to incoming US President Donald Trump “for his significant involvement and support, which meant so much to us.”
The post ‘Emotionally Drained’: Mix of Relief, Trepidation in Tel Aviv as First Three Hostages Released From Gaza first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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UN Data: Nearly 90 Percent of Gaza Aid ‘Intercepted’ Before Reaching Intended Recipients
Palestinians collect aid supplies from the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, June 9, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Hatem Khaled
The vast majority of humanitarian aid entering Gaza is intercepted before reaching its intended civilian recipients, newly released data from the United Nations shows, fueling growing concerns among Israeli officials and international observers about systemic aid diversion by armed groups in the enclave.
According to figures tracking humanitarian assistance for Gaza from May 19 to Aug. 1 of this year, out of the 2,010 UN trucks (carrying 27,434 tons of aid) collected from any of the crossings along Gaza’s perimeter, only 260 trucks (4,111 tons) reached their intended destination. That equates to a staggering 87 percent of all trucks and 85 percent of all tonnage of aid being stolen and not getting into the hands of civilians at the intended destination.
The UN’s own data, posted on the website of the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) as part of the “UN2720 Monitoring & Tracking Dashboard,” reveals that almost all the aid — 1,753 trucks (23,353 tons) — has been “intercepted, either peacefully by hungry people or forcefully by armed actors” while being transported inside Gaza over the past few months.
No breakdown is provided of how much aid has been seized by armed groups versus civilians.
The data also shows that much of the UN aid offloaded at any of the crossings along Gaza’s perimeter has not been collected to enter the war-torn enclave during this period. Out of 40,012 tons of aid (2,134 trucks) being delivered to the crossings, just 27,434 tons (2010 trucks) have been picked up. It’s unclear what exactly led to this discrepancy, with issues such as poor internal coordination and security concerns potentially delaying aid shipments.
The UN2720 mechanism, created earlier this year, was intended to boost transparency by verifying and tracking aid shipments via QR codes at key checkpoints. The system monitors each pallet from offloading to delivery and flags any discrepancies in a centralized database.
Israel has facilitated the entry of thousands of aid trucks into Gaza, with Israeli officials condemning the UN and other international aid agencies for their alleged failure to distribute supplies, noting much of the humanitarian assistance has been stalled at border crossings or stolen by the ruling Palestinian terrorist group Hamas.
On Sunday, Israel announced a halt in military operations for 10 hours a day in parts of Gaza and new aid corridors as Arab and European countries began airdropping supplies into the enclave.
However, the UN and several Western governments have increased pressure on Israel to allow more aid into Gaza, blaming the Jewish state for what they described as a hunger crisis and insufficient amounts of aid reaching civilians.
Israeli officials have said that claims of mass starvation in Gaza are false and being amplified by not only Hamas, which has ruled Gaza for nearly two decades, but also international humanitarian organizations and media organizations to manipulate global opinion.
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Dutch Nurse Under Police Investigation for Alleged Threats Against Israeli Patients
Pro-Hamas demonstrators march in the Dutch city of Nijmegen. Photo: Reuters/Romy Arroyo Fernandez
A Muslim nurse in the Netherlands is under police investigation after allegedly threatening to administer lethal injections to Israeli patients — an incident that has sparked public outrage and intensified fears over rising antisemitism and patient safety in Europe’s health-care systems.
The comments were widely circulated by Israeli influencer Max Veifer, who also exposed a recent case in Australia where two nurses were suspended for two years over antisemitic threats and remarks.
In a video shared on social media, Veifer denounced Dutch-Muslim nurse Batisma Chayat Sa’id’s remarks as a serious violation of medical ethics.
“Someone like that should be prosecuted and barred from treating patients. Imagine your grandparents being cared for by someone so hateful,” the Israeli influencer said.
Zorgwekkende dreiging op Instagram: Nederlandse verpleegkundige is bereid om “zionisten een extra spuitje te geven” en bereid “zionisten te laten sterven binnen de gezondheidszorg.” pic.twitter.com/xTnXNi1wH5
— CIDI
(@CIDI_nieuws) July 29, 2025
The incident was sparked when an Israeli-Dutch woman living in the Netherlands commented on a social media post by far-right politician Geert Wilders, who cautioned about what he called the country’s looming radical Islamization by 2050.
A social media account belonging to the Muslim nurse also commented on the post, claiming it would happen by 2027, to which the Israeli woman responded, “Your dream is our nightmare. But people wake up from nightmares. Our Netherlands, our Israel.”
“Nothing belongs to you! My grandparents built the Netherlands. I was born and raised here, and I will do everything in my power to help this country get rid of the Zionist cancer,” the nurse further replied.
“You know what I’m doing with Zionists — giving an extra injection as a nurse specialist. Letting them go to heaven!” Sa’id continued.
When the Israeli woman threatened to report her, Sa’id replied: “Haha, try your best! I don’t have a boss — I’m the boss! All Zionists can die, inside healthcare and beyond, and I’m happy to help with that!”
Shortly after her posts gained widespread attention, Sa’id deleted all her social media accounts, insisting that her identity had been stolen and that she was not responsible for such comments.
On Wednesday, local police detained Sa’id for questioning, but she denied the allegations, asserting that someone had impersonated her online.
“It seems someone is pretending to be me, posting false and defamatory statements,” the nurse said. “I want to make it clear — I hold no hatred toward Jews or any people, race, religion, or identity.”
Even after announcing plans to file an identity theft complaint, she faces skepticism from authorities, who have assigned a digital forensics expert to scrutinize her online accounts.
Last year, an account under her name also posted threatening messages aimed at Jewish people, including “Your time will come — don’t spare anyone,” and another in which she described the burial of Israelis in Gaza as “a dream come true.”
Earlier this year, two Australian nurses — Ahmad Rashad Nadir and Sarah Abu Lebdeh — gained international attention after they were seen in an online video posing as doctors and making inflammatory statements during a night-shift conversation with Veifer.
The widely circulated footage, which sparked international outrage and condemnation, showed Abu Lebdeh declaring she would refuse to treat Israeli patients and instead kill them, while Nadir made a throat-slitting gesture and claimed he had already killed many.
Following the incident, New South Wales authorities in Australia suspended their nursing registrations and banned them from working as nurses nationwide.
They were also charged with federal offenses, including threatening violence against a group and using a carriage service to threaten, menace, and harass. If convicted, they face up to 22 years in prison.
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French Authorities Halt Gaza Evacuations After Palestinian Student Expelled Over Viral Antisemitic Posts
Anti-Israel demonstration supporting the BDS movement, Paris France, June 8, 2024. Photo: Claire Serie / Hans Lucas via Reuters Connect
French authorities have halted evacuations from Gaza after a Palestinian student was expelled from the prestigious Sciences Po Lille and placed under investigation, following the viral circulation of hundreds of antisemitic posts praising Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and calling for the murder of Jews.
The incident drew widespread condemnation and public outrage, prompting French ministers to demand answers and call for an investigation into how the Gazan student was allowed into the country in the first place.
On Friday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced that all further evacuations from Gaza would be suspended pending the completion of the investigation into the student’s background.
After receiving a scholarship, 25-year-old Nour Atalla, a Palestinian from Gaza, arrived in the country in early July to begin her master’s degree in law and communications this fall at the Institute of Political Science in Lille, northern France.
Barrot confirmed that discussions are ongoing about the student’s possible return to Gaza, making clear that she must leave the country pending the investigation’s outcome.
“She has no place at Sciences Po, nor in France,” the top French diplomat said.
On Thursday, local authorities reported that a criminal investigation is underway into Atalla, with the public prosecutor in Lille confirming the case was opened for “apology of terrorism, apology of crimes against humanity using an online public communication service.”
Barrot admitted lapses in the screening process that allowed her entry and has mandated a comprehensive review of everyone evacuated from Gaza to France.
“The security checks, carried out by the French services and Israeli authorities, did not detect the antisemitic content,” the French diplomat said.
Atalla is one of 292 Gazans admitted to the country following a court ruling that opened the door for Gazans to seek refugee status based on their nationality.
She was offered a place at Sciences Po Lille University based on “academic excellence” and following a recommendation by the French consulate in Jerusalem.
On Wednesday, the university announced it had revoked Atalla’s enrollment after hundreds of her past antisemitic and violent social media posts went viral, sparking widespread condemnation from political leaders and members of the local Jewish community.
In several of these posts, she glorified Hitler, praised Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, massacre across southern Israel, called for the execution of Israeli hostages and the killing of Jews, and expressed support for terrorist organizations such as Hamas and Hezbollah.
In one post, Atalla shared a video of Hitler giving a speech about Jews, writing, “Kill their young and their old. Show them no mercy … And kill them everywhere.”
In another post shared on Oct. 7, 2023, the day of the deadliest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, she wrote, “We must do everything we can to match the bloodshed — as much as possible.”