Families of hostages held in Gaza say they are in agony over ceasefire delays
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Relatives of some of 98 still believed held by Hamas describe being in limbo but remain ‘cautiously optimistic’. Families of hostages being held in Gaza have said delays to the ceasefire and hostage deal have left them in limbo and agony. Relatives of some of the 98 hostages still believed to be held by Hamas reacted with “guarded optimism” to the truce announced by Qatar and the US on Wednesday, but a vote by the Israeli cabinet has been delayed by the Israeli prime minister until Friday, saying Hamas must accept “all elements of the agreement”.
![[Family photo of the Sharabi family]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/bcbb18effd4ffdc2e72b914684fd1423576a3c50/48_108_780_975/master/780.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
Stephen Brisley, whose brother-in-law Eli Sharabi, 52, was taken hostage from the Be’eri kibbutz, said the delays had caused “further torture” for his family. Brisley’s sister Lianne Sharabi, a British citizen, and her daughters Noiya and Yahel were killed in Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack.
“I don’t really know how to feel because it’s still quite difficult to process and doesn’t feel quite real. I’m saying I’m cautiously optimistic, but a bit wary at the same time because we’ve had so many false dawns in the past,” he said.
Israel carried out fresh airstrikes on Gaza on Thursday and accused Hamas of backtracking on parts of the deal, which is intended to come into effect on Sunday. In the first stage, 33 hostages are set to be released over six weeks in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. The remainder are to be released in a second phase. The 98 hostages – some of whom are believed to be dead – include four people taken hostage in 2014 and 2015.
