NEEDHAM, MASS. (WHDH) - Two members of a local man’s family are heading home after they were among 11 hostages released by Hamas on Monday.
Jason Greenberg of Needham had been waiting for weeks for any signs Hamas would free his captured family members. On Monday, he said his 12-year-old and 16-year-old cousins had been freed and taken to a hospital to be treated by the Red Cross.
Speaking with 7NEWS, Greenberg said he saw a short video clip of his relatives. While he said the children seemed to be in good physical condition, Greenberg said their father was still being held captive.
Once they’re home, Greenberg said, the children’s community will help them adjust.
“Once they are able to come home and be welcomed by their families, we will be helping them on the road to recovery, to move on with their lives as 12- and 16-year-old children,” Greenberg said.
Greenberg noted his cousins’ resilience, “and their ability to withstand and endure unthinkable circumstances over the past 52 days.”
“We know they have full, bright lives ahead of them,” he continued.
Hostage releases on Monday came as part of a larger deal between Hamas and Israel around what was originally slated to be a four-day ceasefire.
As part of the original pause in fighting, Hamas released 69 hostages. Of the released hostages, 50 are Israeli and most are women and children.
In return, Israel freed 150 Palestinians. Of the released Palestinians, they were mainly women and minors, many of whom were detained but never charged.
In addition to releases, the ceasefire has allowed humanitarian aid into Gaza.
With the ceasefire due to run out, officials on Monday said Israel and Hamas agreed to extend the pause in fighting for two days under the same conditions at the original four-day deal.
While aid has trickled in, conditions have remained dire for the millions of Palestinians living in Gaza. Israeli leaders, meanwhile, have remained committed to crushing Hamas following its deadly attack on Oct. 7.
Close to 200 hostages were still being held in Gaza as of Monday, now nearly two months after the Oct. 7 attack.
Despite recent releases, 4-year-old Abigail Edan is the only American to be released by Hamas, with two other American women and several American men still yet to be freed.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to travel to Israel and other areas in the Middle East this week. State department officials said he will discuss sustaining the flow of aid in Gaza as well as its future, including the need for an independent Palestinian state.
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