Shortly before releasing them, the Hamas terror group on Monday morning orchestrated video calls between some of the living hostages and their families, who were anxiously awaiting their return.
Footage of the calls, in which masked terrorists could be seen alongside the hostages, came after the terror group agreed not to reprise the propaganda ceremonies it held when it released hostages under previous agreements.
The hostages released on Monday appeared to be wearing the same fake military uniforms that Hamas had made the previously released captives wear at the ceremonies.
The calls were placed to family members who were already at the Re’im military base preparing to be reunited with their loved ones.
At least one family refused to accept a call from Hamas, Channel 12 news reported.
In at least one other case, a masked terrorist appeared to address a hostage’s family members, though his comments were inaudible in the footage.
Julie Kuperstein, mother of hostage Bar Kuperstein, recalled: “We were at the [Re’im] compound, and suddenly there was a missed call. I saw ‘Al Aqsa Brigades’ — I called them back, and they answered me! All of a sudden I see Bar!”
“He said, ‘Mom, everything is okay! Mom, everything is okay!’� she told Channel 12 news, weeping.
“Wow, wow, what a guy! I’m beside myself, I love him. Thank you, God, thank you, Father in Heaven, thank you, thank you!� she added.
Because many of the hostages were held together ahead of their release, some of the calls included several conversations, as the phone was passed between hostages, on the one end, and families, on the other.
In one video, Einav Zangauker, was seen speaking with her hostage son Matan, who was still being held in an undisclosed location in Gaza.
“You’re coming home — you’re all coming home,� she told him through tears. “There’s no more war, it’s over.�
Hostage Rom Braslavski, who was previously seen in a Hamas propaganda clip emaciated and weak, assured his mother that he was okay in a video call prior to his release.
“We saw Rom, and we were excited, and he was so excited, he looked okay, thank God,� she told Channel 12, recalling the conversation. “He smiled, he spoke, he stood on his own two feet, and I’m only waiting to see him, only waiting to give him a special hug, just to hug my child.�
The family of Evyatar David — who was also last seen in a propaganda clip looking severely underweight, with a shovel, reporting that he was being made to dig his own grave — also spoke with their hostage loved one.
Lishay Miran-Lavi spoke to her captive husband Omri prior to his release.
Silvia Cunio said she managed to have a brief conversation with her captive sons, Ariel and David.
“I couldn’t hear anything, but I saw them, and that’s enough,â€� she told Channel 12 through tears.
Yotam Cohen, brother of hostage Nimrod Cohen, said he told him that he is “as good looking as ever, and he said he’s fine and loves us and just wanted to see us. And we’ll hug him in a moment.�
Nimrod’s mother Viki almost didn’t answer the call because she didn’t recognize the number, Hebrew media reported.
Gali and Ziv Berman and Eitan Horn also spoke with their families on video calls.
Ruhama Bohbot, the mother of Elkana Bohbot, spoke with her son, who told her: “Everything is okay, you can relax, everything is okay.”
Avi Ohana, father of hostage Yosef-Haim Ohana, told his son: “We love you, all of Israel is waiting for you, God is with you, he’s looking after you, he’s protecting you, and today he’s taking you out of there.”
“He looks totally fine, thank God, thank God,� Avi told Channel 12, adding that he and his family were waiting to “hug, smell, and breathe� their son upon his release.
Hostage Maxim Herkin, standing alongside a masked terrorist, called his family, who, overcome with emotion, told him to also call his mother, who was not in the same room.
“We will call her, she did not answer,” Herkin was heard responding, apparently referring to him and the terrorist.
Herkin also reported that Segev Kalfon, another hostage, was “good. Everything is okay with him.”