Release of hostages by Hamas provides relief to family members in New York City
NEW YORK -- The release of the first group of hostages taken captive by Hamas is providing some much-needed hope for relatives living here in New York.
CBS New York investigative reporter Tim McNicholas got in touch with some of those families on Friday.
Hamas released 24 hostages -- 13 Israelis, 10 Thais, and one Filipino -- as part of a four-day truce.
READ MORE: 24 hostages released as temporary cease-fire in Israel-Hamas war takes effect
Helicopters transported the Israeli hostages to hospitals after they spent seven weeks in Hamas captivity. Two of the released are Danielle Alony and her 5-year-old daughter, Amelia.
Danielle's cousin, Alana Zeitchik of Brooklyn, has been fighting for their release, telling her family's story from the United Nations to the U.S. Capitol.
"Danielle is like a big sister to me. My family is being held hostage by terrorists!" Zeitchik said.
The family posted on Instagram Friday, saying, "Words cannot describe what we are feeling." But their fight isn't over as four family members are still being held captive, along with more than 200 other hostages.
"Over the next few days, we expect that dozens of hostages will be returned to their families. We also acknowledge those that are still being held, and renew our commitment to work for those as well," President Joe Biden said.
The first day of the agreement between Israel and Hamas began as planned at 7 a.m. local time, with hundreds of aid trucks carrying fuel and supplies to reach Gazans in need. But about an hour into the temporary truce, shots were fired.
CBS News reported Israeli soldiers shot and killed at least two Palestinians and injured several others, blocking them from returning to evacuated Northern Gaza, which the Israeli military had warned against.
Hours later, the hostages were in buses to Israel.
"This morning, I've been engaged with my team as we began the first difficult days of this deal. It's only a start, but so far it has gone well," Biden said.
The Israeli government agreed to release 150 Palestinians from its prisons during the four-day truce and Hamas agreed to release 50 hostages. For now, the deal only covers the release of women and children. However, Israel has offered to extend the truce an extra day for every additional 10 hostages freed.
"It's a complex day for us, the families of hostages," said Moshe Lavi of Hell's Kitchen.
Lavi said he is hopeful this could open the door for the eventual release of his brother-in-law, Omri Miran, who he says is being held by Hamas. But he also fears once the women and children are released, Hamas will stop releasing hostages.
"We know the situation is still so so difficult for them, that things are so fragile and could change in a second, and every second that he's there is endangering him and endangering the possibility that he will return and reunite with my sister," Lavi said.
On Saturday, Hamas plans to release a second group of hostages in exchange for Palestinians being held as prisoners.
