Hamas released a second group of 13 Israeli hostages on Saturday as part of a cease-fire deal, a day after it released another 13.
Saturday’s group of Israelis — all women and children — included six members of an extended family from the ravaged Israeli border village of Be’eri, all of whom were kidnapped during Hamas’s Oct. 7 terror attack in Israel.
Here’s what we know about the Israelis released on Saturday. (Read about the Israeli hostages who have already been released here.)
Shoshan Haran, 67
Shoshan Haran was taken hostage from Kibbutz Be’eri along with another six members of her extended family. Her husband, Avshalom Haran, was killed in the Oct. 7 assault, as was her sister, Lilach Kipnis, a psychologist and peace activist, and her husband, Evyatar Kipnis, 65.
The body of Mr. Kipnis’s caregiver, Paul Castelvi, was found in a nearby forest.
The extended family, all residents of Be’eri, had been celebrating the Jewish holiday of Sukkot at Ms. Haran’s home when the village was struck. Several members of the family were considered missing for days and weeks before they were identified as being among the dead or kidnapped.
Shoshan Haran holds Israeli and German citizenship. A plant protection expert with a doctorate in agronomy, she worked in the seed industry for many years, then founded Fair Planet, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping small farms in developing countries.
Adi Shoham, 38; Naveh, 8; Yahel, 3
Adi Shoham, Shoshan Haran’s daughter and a resident of Be’eri, was freed with her son, Naveh, 8, and her daughter, Yahel, 3. Her husband, Tal Shoham, 38, remains in captivity.
A psychologist, Ms. Shoham worked in recent years to promote mindfulness as a means of easing the stress of residents of southern Israel who have lived under the threat of rocket fire from Gaza for more than two decades.
Yuval Haran, 36, Adi Shoham’s brother and Shoshan Haran’s son, was away from the kibbutz on Oct. 7 and became the voice of his captive family. He was in the vanguard of a five-day march this month from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
“I’m tired of sitting around,” he said. “I want to start walking to where the decisions are made.”
Sharon Avigdori, 52; Noam Avigdori, 12
Sharon Avigdori, a sister of Avshalom Haran and a drama therapist, was visiting her family in Be’eri with her daughter, Noam Avigdori, when they were seized.
Sharon Avigdori works with people on the autism spectrum and lives in Hod Hasharon, in central Israel. Her husband, Hen Avigdori, and their son Omer, 16, had stayed home that weekend.
Mr. Avigdori, a television writer, told The Jerusalem Post this month that he was “a man on a mission” to bring back his wife and daughter. He said his wife’s work “changes the world.”
He described his daughter as a young socialite and a top student. “She likes learning, she is hilarious, she has a very sarcastic sense of humor, she cracks me up,” he said.
Emily Hand, 9
Emily Hand, an Irish Israeli, was kidnapped from a sleepover at a friend’s house in Kibbutz Be’eri and turned 9 while in captivity.
Her family initially believed she had been killed in the attack, but was later informed that she was kidnapped. Her older sister, Natalie Hand, told Israel’s Channel 12 that the family had cried for Emily when it was informed she had been killed.
“We were told that she had been murdered; we were in mourning,” she said. Then, “on Oct. 31, they told us that it was highly likely that she had been abducted.”
Speaking at a news conference at the Israeli Embassy in London recently, her father, Thomas Hand, said, “I’m going to pull every little string that I can for my own daughter, and hopefully that helps the rest as well.”
Ireland’s president met with Mr. Hand in recent weeks.
Maya Regev, 21
Maya Regev was at the Tribe of Nova music festival on Oct. 7 when Hamas attackers infiltrated Israel and massacred hundreds of young festivalgoers. Her brother, Itay, with whom she attended the festival, is still believed to be held in Gaza.
Their father, Ilan Regev Derby, described in October being haunted by the last conversation he had with Ms. Regev, which he recorded on his phone. She called as the gunmen closed in.
In one Hamas video, Itay is shown, hands bound, in the back of a pickup, alive. Another friend they attended the festival with, Omer Shem Tov, is also still believed to be held in Gaza.
Mirit Regev, Maya’s mother, expressed the mixed feelings of many families in a statement on Sunday:
“I’m excited and happy that Maya is on her way to us now. Nonetheless, my heart is split because my son, Itay, is still in Hamas’s captivity in Gaza,” she said, adding, “I am going to hug Maya so hard. We will not stop until Itay and all the hostages get back home.”
Alma Or, 13; Noam Or, 17
Alma Or and Noam Or were kidnapped from their home in Be’eri, a kibbutz near the Gazan border on Oct. 7. They were taken hostage with their father, Dror, who is believed to still be held in Gaza.
Their mother, Yonat, was one of dozens killed in Kibbutz Be’eri.
Hila Rotem Shoshani, 12
Hila Rotem Shoshani was hiding in her family’s safe room with her mother, Raaya, the morning of Oct. 7, before they were kidnapped from their home in Kibbutz Be’eri, according to The Times of Israel.
The outlet reported that Raaya, who is still believed to be held in Gaza, texted her brother around noon, telling him that she and her daughter were being taken. It was the last time anyone heard from her. Their family was told on Oct. 29 that the mother and daughter were being held captive.
Noga Weiss, 18; Shiri Weiss, 53
Shiri Weiss and Noga Weiss, mother and daughter, were kidnapped from Kibbutz Be’eri on Oct. 7.
Noga was hiding under a bed when she texted the family group chat that her mother was taken from their safe room, her second cousin, Oren Rubinstein, said at a rally in the San Francisco area on Nov. 4.
Noga fled her house, which was engulfed in flames, and attempted to hide outdoors in bushes nearby, according to Mr. Rubinstein. The last her family heard from her was a text: “They’re coming.”
Her family was able to track her live location through WhatsApp as she moved into Gaza, he said.
Mr. Rubinstein has demanded their release in rallies throughout the San Francisco area, where he lives.
“This is a nightmare,” he said at the rally, which was recorded and posted on YouTube by Unxeptable, an organization formed by Israeli citizens in 2020 to protest their country’s right-wing government.
“And we have to remember — we have to support who is going to bring them home. The IDF is going to bring them home; the U.S. Special Forces are going to bring them home.”
Shiri’s husband, Ilan Weiss, left their home the morning of Oct. 7 to join an emergency squad, according to The Times of Israel, and is still considered missing. According to the kibbutz administration, Shiri’s brother Gil — a member of the local civilian emergency response team — was killed during the battle for Be’eri.
Jeffrey Gettleman contributed reporting.
