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Massachusetts man says it would be a miracle if cousin held hostage by Hamas is released

Mass. families cautiously optimistic after Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal
Mass. families cautiously optimistic after Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal 02:41

NEEDHAM - Jason Greenberg of Needham can only hope he'll see his cousin, 54-year-old Ofer Calderon again. He is one of 33 hostages expected to be released by Hamas if the ceasefire in the fifteen-month-old conflict with Israel is a reality.

"Justifiably so, we're all of the camp that we'll believe it when we actually see their faces or see them come back one way or another," said Greenberg who was in Tel Aviv on October 7, 2023.

Five family members were kidnapped from the kibbutz near the Gaza border that day. Calderon's two children were eventually released, two other cousins were killed. Now Greenberg doesn't know if Ofer is dead or alive.

"It's hard to imagine anybody being able to endure that long and even come back the same person. If he comes back alive that's a miracle," Greenberg said.

"Whole generations gone" in Gaza

Mohammed Alghool, who owns Cafe Yafa in Natick, lost several family members in the now devastated Gaza where tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed. "It's the worst thing ever happened. Whole generations gone, everybody suffered," said Alghool.

He is cautiously optimistic the suffering is coming to an end. Looking at what's left of his homeland he is convinced the will is there to rebuild and allow those displaced to finally come home. "The manpower is there; we need now some money to support that," he said.

The conflict sparked worldwide emotion including the Boston area where protests broke out on college campuses and other locations. Alghool blames politicians for the war dragging on. "It's not that we cannot be friends, it's who is running the show," Alghool said. "That is making everybody an enemy."

Jason Greenberg says there have been reported sightings of his cousin. He now wants to see him finally free. "It'll give me, and a lot of people a lot of joy if Ofer's children are reunited with him," Greenberg said.

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