The helicopter landed at a hospital east of Tel Aviv on Friday night, blowing twirls of dust into the faces of the medical staff who stood in wait. On it, the first hostages freed by Hamas, as part of the long sought-after hostage deal and truce lasting four days. As they went inside to see their families for the first time in seven weeks, a landmark was reached in this conflict.
More hostages were released on Saturday, and 17 more on Sunday – with the potential for more beyond that, should a ceasefire be extended, although delays over the exchanges in the weekend will have put everyone on edge. As the families of those freed rejoice, the loved ones of those remaining in Gaza continue to wait, counting the minutes as they pass.
