The British family of an Israeli hostage freed from Gaza on Saturday expressed a mix of emotions as he was released 16 months after being captured.
Eli Sharabi's brother-in-law, Steve Brisley, living in Bridgend, south Wales, shared joy at his release. However, concerns arose about Mr. Sharabi's gaunt appearance and whether he was aware that his wife and daughters had been killed in the October 7 attack.
Mr. Sharabi, 52, was abducted by Hamas from Kibbutz Beeri on October 7 while his British-born wife, Lianne, and their two teenage daughters, Noiya and Yahel, were tragically found murdered at home.
During a choreographed release by Hamas in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, Mr. Sharabi and two other hostages were handed over to the Red Cross.
Expressing his emotions regarding Mr. Sharabi's release, Mr. Brisley stated, "It's the end of one part of the nightmare that we've been on, but [the] beginning of the next chapter."
The family expressed being "delighted" with his freedom but horrified by his physical state and the circumstances of his release.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) expressed concerns about the dignified and private nature of future hostage releases.
Mr. Brisley mentioned that seeing Mr. Sharabi looking "very very thin and emaciated" was unexpected and emotionally challenging.
Gillian Brisley, Mr. Sharabi's mother-in-law, criticized the "grandstanding" at the hostages' release and the forced interviews.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy welcomed the release of Mr. Sharabi along with two others, emphasizing the unimaginable ordeal suffered by them and their families.
The release was part of a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel, with a total of 33 hostages scheduled to be released in weekly handovers in exchange for 1,900 Palestinians in Israeli prisons.