By Chris Steyn
The teenage niece and nephew of an Israeli mother – whose daughter and mother were killed by Hamas terrorists – have been released, but without their father.
Erez (12) and Sahar (16) Kalderon were among those freed as hostages are being released in batches during a humanitarian truce that has been extended to six days.
Earlier, government sources in Israel told BizNews that the hostage release deal was struck as a direct result of Israeli military action in the Gaza Strip and โderives from the achievements so farโ of the Israeli military.
โIt constitutes proof of the necessity of the ground operation – not only for the purpose of overthrowing the Hamas regime and displacing it, but also for the purpose of freeing all the hostages.โ
The freed hostagesโ aunt Galit Dan had pleaded for their release and sent them messages of support in a BizNews interview after the October 7 terror attack in which her special-needs daughter Noya (12) and mother Carmella (60) were also abducted and killed.
โMy sisterโs kids, Erez, he was such a good friend of my daughters. He’s 12 years old and Sahar, the most beautiful girl you can imagine, 16 years old, and their father, the ex of my sister. Beautiful boy, beautiful man with a large heart. And they were taken also.
โI’m so scared. I am so scared. I ask you to imagine how it feels, but I try not to imagine what they are going through and where they are. I just pray, pray thatโฆthey can be protected by some big force…you know, the good force of the universe. It just sends them energiesโฆโ
Their father, Ofer Kalderon, is still being held hostage.
Describing the last contact she had from her daughter during the terror attack, Galit says: โโฆshe left me a message. Mommy, there’s huge noise outside. I’m so afraid. And my Mom wrote, they are entering the house, theyโre breaking everything. I told her, Mommy close the door, close it, but I know they couldn’t close the door, they couldn’t lock itโฆbecause the door is very strong door for bombs, but not for against someone who open it from outside.โ
Please watch:ย
Video of Erez being kidnapped by Hamas
Erez’s mother protesting outside UNICEF offices
Erez’s mother getting the news that her children are on the list of hostages being released
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