Glued to the news today

[opalfruiteeee]

Hi team JMN. I abandoned MN some time ago but wanted to briefly return to say hi and see how you are doing today. As per my thread title I am obsessively watching the news today. It seems like 3 hostages will be released today - part of me is thinking, what if they aren't?? While at the same time I'm wondering, IS THAT IT?? Compared to the numbers of actual convicted prisoners being released to the other side, it seems like a pretty rough deal.

Anyway. I am hoping and atheistically praying that those 3 girls are home and safe later today, and that the others follow soon.

Me too. I'm on tenterhooks.

The press doesn't seem to have picked up on the lack of parity of an exchange between innocent hostages and convicted murders but I shouldn't be surprised.

They also haven't really picked up on how some (10?) of the 33 hostages to be released as part of this ceasefire agreement are dead. But why trouble themselves with detail, eh?

I am constantly checking The Jewish Chronicle as I trust it more than other news outlets. No mention on the BBC that today is the birthday of Kfir Bibas. He has spent most of his life as a hostage.

I'm watching on TV. Just lots of Gazan's gathered at the moment. Considering there is apparently a famine and a genocide, the Gazan's are looking well fed and well dressed. All have tidy well trimmed haircuts etc.

🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

With you in spirit today and in the days, weeks to come while this exchange takes place.
Wishing comfort and a peaceful future to all who have suffered.

I am really struggling. I feel so, so much relief for those who are finally getting their loved ones back this evening but this mental torture the rest of the hostage families must be going through... The constant psychological warfare Hamas have inflicted on them. The games they're playing. The fact that terrorists are being celebrated all over the world. It's just too much.

🎗️ Bring them all home so their families can finally get some closure one way or another. They all have so, so much healing to do. But it can be done - we as a people proved as much once again 80 years ago.

I'm also watching the news....it's very emotional.... I'm pleased three hostages have been released...let's hope they will all be free soon

As for the scenes in Gaza being shown on TV today... absolutely loads of hamas fighters wandering around...I saw no women in the crowds either....

I saw a few women in the crowd. I guess most wouldn't go into a big crowd of men anyway.

Imagining what these mothers are feeling is overwhelming. Praying the young women are now safe in their mothers’ arms.

So happy these three are home and safe.

That handover looked scary.

Is this possibly the first helpful thing the red cross have done for the hostages?

Or did they help in previous handovers?

Baruch Hashem.

The Red Cross helped with the November 2023 handovers too.

Think it's the only thing they have done.

It's been a stressful 24 hours waiting for the names, hoping desperately to see Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas being the three released today. So happy for the families reunited today. So sad for those who haven't had that reunion today.
Relieved to see them alive and walking.
Angry that we have to release so many convicted terrorists.
Tense for what the next few weeks will bring.

They were equally "helpful" in the previous handovers. Ie not even remotely helpful and did nothing to prevent the crowds from filming and jeering at those being released then either. No lessons seem to have been learned.

But that's ok, because they've also done absolutely nothing since then. To be expected though since they also never visited Gilad Shalit, or Eldad Regav and Ehud Goldwasser. If they had visited the latter two, their families would have known they were murdered on day one rather than expect them to be returned alive.

So overwhelmed with emotion. Relief beyond words for those families, but just heartbroken at the gravity of the situation and how we are still stuck in 7/10.
My mind can’t stop thinking about the terrorists being released in exchange for innocent people who just happen to be Jewish.
the world would be in uproar (and rightly so) if the UK or US government released mass murderers to live freely.

Holy moly, absolute lunacy!!! They gave them a certificate?! And photos of their time in captivity?! Like they'd been to some kind of holiday camp 🤢

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/hamas-gave-released-hostages-gift-bags-with-mementos-of-time-in-captivity/

F*ing monsters. Absolutely vile. As if they can even shock us anymore with their games and psychological warfare, yet continue to sink lower and lower.

genuinely have a physiological reaction to these pictures and videos. It’s torture for all of us.

https://x.com/henmazzig/status/1881072345739379046?s=46

video of them reuniting with their families. The tears don’t stop tonight. the emotions are brutal

I am struggling with everything and my overwhelming emotion is anger.

Conflicted.

Absolute monsters

I doubt that the BBC knows Kfir Bibas exists (or cares). He is a Jewish baby after all...

Extremely happy for the three released hostages. I hope they will have long, happy lives.

In our thoughts today x as everyday. Praying

My overarching emotions are anger and relief / happiness for the three releases innocent women.

The Red Cross? Nothing but an Uber service.

I'm so disgusted by the gift bags and by what the handover looked like. I feel so angry that the world sees all those prisoners being released for innocent hostages and says "yeah sounds like a fair deal".

Desperately hoping for all the hostages to be home soon, especially the Bibas family whose faces are etched into my mind every day.