French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna told French broadcaster RTL that the hostages freed by Hamas were physically well but suffering "psychological shock" after their long captivity.
Hours after Eitan Yahalomi, a French-Israeli boy was released from Hamas captivity, the 12-year-old boy was reunited in Tel Aviv early Tuesday with his mother.
The 12-year-old boy "lived through horrors out there", his aunt, Deborah Cohen, told a French TV station.
"When he arrived in Gaza, civilians hit him ... he's a 12-year-old child," Cohen told BFM TV, noting that she had got the details from the boy's mother.
While in captivity, "Hamas forced (Eitan) to watch" video of the October 7 Hamas attack, Cohen said.
"Every time a child cried, they would threaten him with a weapon to shut him up," she added.
"I wanted to believe that Eitan would be well treated. Apparently not. Those people are monsters," Cohen said.
Eitan Yahalomi was one of three French-Israelis freed on Monday night. Eight other hostages, including two Germans and six Argentines, were released alongside him.
In exchange, Israel released 33 Palestinian women and minors from Israeli jails, fulfilling the terms of the initial four-day truce deal. The initial four-day truce was extended by two days on Monday.
That tranche of hostages brought the total released to 50 – in exchange for around 150 Palestinian prisoners and a pause in fighting in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas authorities report Israel's offensive in Gaza has killed over 14,000 people, mostly civilians, including thousands of children.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday welcomed the release of three French nationals in a post on X, formerly Twitter. Yahalomi was released alongside Erez and Sahar Kalderon, aged 12 and 16, respectively.
'His father is still out there'
"We were so happy yesterday," Cohen said of Eitan's return. But his father "is still out there" and remains a hostage.
Ohad Yahalomi remains in Hamas captivity. Eitan's mother, Batsheva Yahalomi and his two younger sisters were put on separate mopeds after militants attacked their home in Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7. They managed to run away during the chaotic exit, according to the Times of Israel.
Speaking to BFM, Cohen described Eitan as "a calm child who will take time before revealing his emotions".
The road to recovery for her nephew would be long, she said. "How can someone feel well after an experience like that? There's a long road to climb."
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
