Heartwarming moment families reunite with children snatched by Hamas – as terrorists delay release of 13 more hostages

MOVING footage shows the moment Israeli families reunited with their children who were freed by Hamas on Friday after 48 days of captivity.

It comes as the terrorist group is delaying the release of the next group of 13 hostages following alleged violations of the ceasefire agreement by Israel.

Ohad Munder, who was abducted with his mother Keren on October 7, was reunited with his family yesterday after being released Credit: Schneider Children’s Medical Center spokesperson

Five-year-old Emilia Aloni also returned to Israel last night after 7 weeks of captivity in Gaza, pictured hugging her grandmother Credit: Schneider Children’s Medical Center spokesperson

Ohad, 9, sees his father for the first time after being held hostage in GazaCredit: Twitter

He runs into his dad’s arms, who picks him up and turns him around in the touching clipCredit: Twitter

Yoni Asher is reunited with her husband Doron and daughters Raz, 4, and Aviv, 2, who were released on Friday

Ohad, 9, plays with a rubix cube while traveling home with his mother and grandmother

Hamas thugs handed over 13 Israeli women and children on Friday after holding them captive for 48 days – including OhadCredit: Reuters

The white-haired woman was seen too weak to walk the short distance between the vehicles as a Hamas militant carried her Credit: REUTERS

Hamas released 13 Israeli women and children yesterday

A senior Hamas official claimed the terrorist group delayed the release of more hostages because Israel had only let three of 100 aid trucks into the northern Gaza Strip as part of their humanitarian truce deal.

He further alleged that Israel flew drones over southern Gaza, killed two Palestinians in an area where civilians can move freely, and made changes to an agreed list of Palestinian prisoners to be released.

Israel has denied violating the terms of the ceasefire agreement, telling AFP: “Israel has not violated the agreement.”

Yesterday, Hamas militants handed over 13 terrified Israeli women and children after holding them captive for 48 days.

The hostages were pulled out of the darkened vans by masked Hamas militants and handed over to Red Cross workers.

And a touching video released by an Israeli children’s hospital shows the moment nine-year-old Ohad Munder was reunited with his family.

The video shows him carrying a cuddly toy, turning a corner at the hospital and waving to two relatives, including his father.

Ohad runs to greet them as his dad picks him up and turns him around in a touching encounter.

The nine-year-old was freed yesterday along with 12 other Israeli women and children – several from the same families.

Ohad’s cousin said: “I’m waiting to see Ohad and I can’t wait to give him his Rubik’s Cube which I know he loved and probably missed a lot. It’s the first thing he takes wherever he goes.”

Pictures of the freed hostages show Ohad playing with a rubix cube on a flight with his mother and grandmother, presumably on the way home.

The nine-year-old, his mother and grandmother Ruth, who were also abducted, appear to be in good health.

But his grandfather, Avraham, is reportedly still in captivity in Gaza according to the Hindustan Times.

A heartwarming image also released by the children’s hospital shows 5-year-old Emilia Aloni being reunited with her grandmother.

She was taken with her mother, Daniela, on October 7, and Ohad was kidnapped together with her mother, Keren Munder.

Yaffa Adar, 85, who was kidnapped on October 7 and photographed riding on the back of a Hamas buggy, was also released.

Her granddaughter Orian Adar said her family was “very excited” to see her.

“Her resilience really touched us, it’s inspiring,” she said.

“We ask everyone to remember, we cannot see the sun yet because there are still many people outside.

“We need everyone at home with us, don’t stop until the last abductee comes home,” reports Sky News.

Yoni Asher, whose wife Doron and daughters – Raz, 4, and Aviv, 2, – was reunited with his family on Friday.

Their four-year-old daughter said, “I dreamed we were going home,” to which the father said, “We’re home, we’re going to our house soon.”

All 13 Israeli hostages were sent to separate hospitals across Israel, where medical staff said most of them were in good physical health.

The footage of the release of innocent women and children is hard to watch – one woman couldn’t even walk on her own and had to be carried from van to van.

She could be seen holding on tightly to a Hamas fighter as he carried her a short distance between two vehicles.

The women and children were freed after being held hostage for almost 50 days, during the second day of the ceasefire.

More hostages are expected to be freed during the lull in fighting in the coming days.

Israeli authorities announced that Hamas would release 13 more hostages today in exchange for 42 Palestinian prisoners.

Hamas has agreed to release at least 50 of the 240 hostages it seized on October 7 in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.

Both sides said they would release the women and children first.

Yesterday, Qatar confirmed that 39 women and children held in Israeli prisons – mostly teenagers imprisoned for minor offenses – had also been released.

A video released by Hamas shows masked fighters handing over Israeli and Thai civilians to international aid workers.

A total of 24 hostages were released from Gaza, 13 Israeli women and children, 10 Thai citizens and one Filipino.

No British hostages were released on Friday, Sky News reports.

The ceasefire agreement for the hostages was reached after weeks of intense negotiations – with Qatar, the United States and Egypt acting as mediators.

If held, it would mark the first significant pause in fighting since Israel declared war on Hamas seven weeks ago, raising hopes that the war will eventually end.

The pause in fighting comes after bomb-hit Gaza has been relentlessly battered by Israeli airstrikes and ground operations.

Netanyahu insisted that Israel’s mission would remain unchanged, stating that the offensive would resume after the ceasefire period ended.

He said: “We are at war and we will continue the war until we achieve all our goals”.

An IDF spokesman claimed that around 215 hostages remained in Gaza.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Friday evening that 13 Israeli hostages and 11 foreign nationals had been released.

He said in a video statement: “I emphasize to you, the families, and to you, the citizens of Israel: we are committed to the return of all our hostages.

“This is one of the war aims and we are committed to achieving all the war aims.”

We are committed to the return of all our hostages

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister

In exchange for the hostages, 39 Palestinian women and children held in Israeli prisons were freed, a Qatari official said.

Among those freed today were Danielle Aloni and her six-year-old daughter Emilia, who were horrifically abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz while visiting family.

Danielle’s sister and brother-in-law Sharon Aloni-Cunio and David Cunio are reportedly still being held hostage along with their three-year-old twin daughters.

Adina Moshe, 72, was also taken from her home in Nir Oz moments after her husband was slaughtered by terrorists, and Doron Katz Asher, 34, and her two brave young daughters Aviv and Raz were kidnapped in the same area.

The mother and her two- and four-year-old girls were taken to visit a relative’s house.

Keren and Ohan Munder and Ruth Munder, 78, were released today after being rounded up and forced to leave Ruth’s home.

Ruth’s partner and Ohad’s grandfather are still being held by Hamas because only women and children were among those released.

Hana Katzir, 76, was also sensationally freed after Hamas forces reportedly claimed her death earlier this week.

The last three people rescued in the first series of releases were Margalit Moses, 77, Yaffa Adar, 85, and Hanna Peri, 79.

Yoni Asher, Doron’s husband and the father of their two girls, who were freed on Friday, said: “I am determined to help my family recover from the terrible trauma and loss we have gone through.”

Palestinians in the West Bank also celebrated as their civilians were released from the Ofer military base, reports AFP.

One released prisoner, Marah Bakir, 24, said: “I spent the end of my childhood and youth in prison, away from my parents and their hugs.”