The daughter of one of the hostages still trapped in Gaza said it is “incredible” to see each of freed hostages return to Israel, but feared for her elderly father’s life.
Sharone Lifschitz’s father, Oded, a human rights and peace activist, was taken from kibbutz Niz Or with his wife, Yocheved Lifshitz, 85, who was freed in October 2023, after 17 days in Hamas captivity.
His name is on the list of the hostages set to be freed in the first phase of the ceasefire, but each release goes by Sharone knows that…
“My father is 84 and frail, and the fact that he’s not being returned to us increases the chances that he’s no longer with us,” she told NBC News. “We know his chances are slim.”
Despite her worries, Lifschitz urged for hope and peace, and emphasized the need for dialogue and understanding between Israelis and Palestinians.
“We have two very traumatized societies,” she said, expressing concerns that leadership on both sides would be unable to help move toward peace. Her hope is that Israelis and Palestinians can create a “sustainable present” for the next generation.
“You need the cessation of wars so that you can build a generation that can carry us to the next,” she added.