In the aftermath of a week-long cease-fire, and subsequent return of some captives, at least 18 women are still being held by Hamas.
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The captives include Ofra Keidar and Judy Weinstein, both 70 years old, as well as Romi Leshem Gonen (23), Eden Yerushalmi (24), Liri Elbag (18), Daniela Gilboa (19), Karina Ariev (19), Noa Argamani (26), Inbar Heiman (27), Emily Demari (27), Arbel Yahud (28), Agam Berger (19), Naama Levy (19), Amit Buskila (28), Eden Zakaria (28), Doron Steinbracher (30), Shiri Bibas (32), and Carmel Gat (39).
Additionally, the Wall Street Journal has reported that during negotiations, Hamas claimed it was having difficulty gaining access to four women held captive by other terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip.
Einav Somech, a childhood friend of captive Inbar Hayman, expressed her disappointment to Ynet following the resumption of fighting. "This morning is very disappointing, there are 13 more women there. We certainly do not pretend to understand the government's considerations, but there are young women there whose clock is also ticking, among them injured like our Romi and Inbar. We also have to fight for them because they are young and injured, which is very worrying." She added that she spent a nerve-wracking morning waiting for another list of hostages, saying, "We wanted them to return home today and they probably won't. We don't know if these attacks endanger them."
Yamit Ashkenazi, sister of captive Doron Steinbracher from the village of Aza, voiced her concerns at a press conference titled "The danger to women in captivity". She said, "I was abandoned on October 7. Hostages were abandoned on October 7. I will not let them be abandoned again. More than 54 days that I don't know what's going on with my sister. What dirty hands are touching her? Maybe my sister is being raped? Maybe my sister was murdered? I demand and beg you, stop this demonic dance. Bring back our loved ones. It should have happened yesterday and it has to happen tomorrow."
Residents of Giv'atayim welcome back Yarden, back from captivity
(Video: Giv'atayim city hall Spokesperson's Unit)
Carmel Gat, a 39-year-old from Be'eri, is the sister of Alon, the partner of Yarden Roman Gat who was recently released from captivity and reunited with her daughter, Geffen. In a statement alongside a touching photo of Yarden and Geffen's first hug, the family reminded everyone that the fight is not over: "Besides the joy, we will continue to fight for the return of all the hostages. Carmel Gat, Yarden's beloved sister-in-law and one of the last young women left by Hamas, is still being held captive. We have good reason to believe she is still alive, and the rest of the family will continue to fight for her until she returns. The conversations with Yarden and the other hostages who returned sharpened our understanding that every day that hostages are in captivity, the danger to their lives increases. We need to bring them all back now."
Udi Goren, whose cousin Tal Chaimi remains in captivity, criticized the prioritization of military action over the continued release of hostages. He stated, "The preference for military action over continuing to release hostages constitutes abandoning our loved ones. The continuation of the fighting is a huge and immediate risk to the lives of the hostages, both due to the bombings, and due to the deterioration of their medical condition and the conditions of their detention. We are a power, we have an army and the backing of the other countries of the free world. All the other goals of the fighting will wait afterwards. The hostages cannot wait. We demand - Find a way to get our family members out of Gaza alive, without endangering them, now."